A Clean Slate
by Lexmarker
Summary: [UPDATE, INSTALLMENT 12, CHAPTER 9] There have been a lot of 'what if Keitaro and Motoko had lost to Tsuroko' stories out there. Here's my take on it. I hope you guys will like my little spin on their story.
1. Getting to Know You

Disclaimer: I don't own Love Hina. If I did, this fic wouldn't need a disclaimer, would it?

Prologue:

Getting to Know You

Soft white lights greeted Motoko as she slowly stirred. She gingerly opened her eyes, the unexpected brightness of the droning fluorescent lights irritating her vision.

"Where am I?" She mumbled, wondering why she was bedridden with an IV on her arm, as she rubbed her forehead. To her surprise, a gauze bandage adorned her head, and she tugged the wrappings gently, testing her wound. A dull, throbbing pain stopped her from exploring further, however, and she let her hand fall to her side.

"Heh, I did that at first too. I guess we both had to learn the hard way not to mess with bandages, eh, miss?" A soft voice beside Motoko chuckled. The young girl turned her head to face her comrade-in-injuries. On the bed adjacent to her was a young man. The smiling gentleman with glasses gave her a small wave, at least, as much as he could have with the cast on his arm in his bedridden condition.

"Oh, yes, it would seem so." She replied. She couldn't help but smile at the young man also, feeling happy when she saw him for some odd reason.

Both of them sat up on their beds for about a minute or so, just smiling at each other, before they had realized what they had been doing.

"Aha, sorry, I kinda' zoned out there for a second. My name is Keitaro, or at least, I think it is." he apologized, scratching the back of his head, only to let out a small yelp as his fingers caught the wrappings on his head. Motoko let out a small chuckle.

"Nice to meet you, Keitaro, my name is..." Motoko stopped mid-sentence. What was her name? She rattled her brain, trying to find the elusive word, but she found nothing. A complete blank. Up until the point where she had woken up, she couldn't remember anything!

"I... don't know." Motoko stated simply, her eyes widening. For some reason, though, the fact didn't bother her. She was merely curious as to why she could not recall anything.

"Wow... um, can you remember anything else?" Keitaro said with a bit of amusement. Motoko gave it another try, but sadly, she still drew a zero.

"No, nothing else, Keitaro." she said, shrugging.

"Me neither! I don't remember anything at all!" Keitaro laughed.

"Well, this is a coincidence, isn't it, Keitaro." Motoko smiled, happy to have something in common with the nice man beside her, even if it wasn't the most positive of things. The two new friends laughed softly at their similar predicament for a moment when a realization struck Motoko.

"Keitaro, if you do not recall your any of your past as do I, then how do you know your name?" Motoko said with innocent curiosity.

"Oh, that's what it says on this right here." Keitaro said, raising his left wrist. The small red information bracelet was filled with writing, including one for a patient's name. Looking down on her own hand, Motoko noticed that she too had a red tag.

"It says that my name is... Motoko Urashima." Motoko read out loud. For some reason, the name made her feel warm, just as she had when she first saw Keitaro's face smiling at her.

"Really? My last name's Urashima too? Do you think we're related?" Keitaro said, his face lighting up with fascination.

"I am not sure, Keitaro." Motoko replied, her brow furrowing in thought. Before they could talk any more about the matter, the door to their room opened, letting in a middle-aged man in a white lab coat. His nametag read Doctor Watanabe. "Good morning. And how are our newlyweds today?"

"Newlyweds?" Motoko and Keitaro screamed together.

End Prologue

Author's Notes:

I revised it so that it would be easier to read.

If you guys haven't got it yet, Motoko and Keitaro are suffering from amnesia, which is why they are OOC. Why they have it, you'll find out later. Anyways, if you review a lot, you'll get to know why faster. Do you guys think this is a good story? Please review.

Lex


	2. So Happy Together

Disclaimer: See epilogue

Chapter 1:

So Happy Together

"We're married?" said Keitaro, looking down on his other, cast-bound hand. Sure enough, a gold wedding band encircled his ring finger. "Oh my..." Motoko gasped, as her own finger also held a wedding ring. Both of them blushed and stared at each other, their eyes carefully staring at each other in a new light.

"Wow. I have a beautiful wife." Keitaro said, not really thinking about what he had just said. When he realized what he had blurted out, he immediately clamped his hand over his mouth. Motoko blushed even brighter, turning her gaze to her lap. "I'm sorry. That was rash of me." He said through his fingers.

"N-no need to apologize..." Motoko began, stuttering. She carefully looked over towards Keitaro once more. "... actually, I am quite flattered... my husband." she said softly with a small smile. Keitaro let his hand down from his mouth. "Um, you're welcome, Motoko." he replied gingerly.

The doctor sighed. "Hmm, I was afraid of this. Judging by your reactions, both of you have no idea why you're here, do you?" Watanabe said, pulling up a chair by the wall.

"What do you mean, sir?" Keitaro asked, looking away from his newfound wife for a second. "Well, I guess it would be best if I tell you what we know up until this point." the doctor answered, preparing to go off in a long explanation.

"You two were almost hit by a truck, to put it simply." The doctor said with a laugh. His two patients face faulted at their doctors blatant humor for their situation. "A truck? Then why the both of us? Why are we not injured more seriously?" Motoko said, getting annoyed with their less-than-professional practitioner.

"Okay, okay, I'll go more into detail." Watanabe chuckled, holding his hands up in defense after noticing the girl's cold stare. "Anyway, from what we could get from the eyewitnesses, Mrs. Urashima seemed to be walking in sort of a daze when she was crossing the intersection. Mr. Urashima followed behind her in a sort of lopsided pace, due to his leg injuries." the doctor counted off.

"Leg injuries! What are you talking about?" Keitaro blurted out. He had checked himself when he had regained consciousness, but apart from his arm and head, nothing else seemed to be out of place. "Well, you two have been in a coma for three days. Your cast was taken off right around the second, seeing as you had completely healed by then." The Doctor pointed out, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Umm, alright." Keitaro mumbled, not really wanting to see if he had any more invisible injuries. "Please continue with your story, Watanabe-sensei." Motoko said. For some reason, she felt bad after hearing about Keitaro's leg. Almost a little guilty.

"Of course." Watanabe nodded understandingly. "Motoko-san did not see the truck turning in from the left lane. Your husband, even with his injury, pushed you away from the impact in the nick of time." the doctor recounted.

"K-keitaro... saved my life?" Motoko whispered. Keitaro also took this news with surprise. "Was that how I got my injury?" Keitaro said, holding up his cast. "There's a funny story in that." Watanabe laughed, once again his eyes glinting with amusement. "Well, as soon as Keitaro pushed you out of the way, both of you hit your heads on a lamppost." Watanabe added. Again, Keitaro and Motoko face-faulted.

"But that still does not explain Keitaro's injury." Motoko pointed out, beginning to think that this doctor was just messing with both their injured heads.

"Oh yes, that. Well, Keitaro wrapped his arms around you as he pushed you out of the way, so when you both hit the post, Keitaro's arm also got in the way." Watanabe explained. Motoko and Keitaro nodded in approval.

"I see. So my husband injured himself trying to prevent further harm to myself?" Motoko said softly. "Um, yes, it would seem so." Watanabe said. "I... am thankful to have married such a selfless man." Motoko said, the slight redness slowly returning to her cheeks. Keitaro smiled. Though he wouldn't say it, he doubted that they were truly married. Him, stuck with such a beautiful girl like that? Impossible. It must have been some sort of mix-up. They couldn't be married... could they?

"Doctor, how did you find out our names anyway?" Keitaro said, trying to change the subject. "That was easy. It's on your marriage license!" Watanabe laughed, pulling out an official-looking certificate out of thin air. If Keitaro had been drinking anything, he would have sprayed it out of his mouth in disbelief.

"W-what!" Keitaro cried in disbelief. There in front of him was government proof that he had, in fact, entered a lifelong contract with the woman beside him. "Yup. Right under there. Groom's name, Keitaro Urashima. Bride's maiden name, Motoko Aoyama. We found it in Keitaro's pocket when we were looking for ID." Watanabe explained.

"B-but how can you be sure that Motoko was the Motoko on the certificate?" Keitaro said, still stubborn over the fact the he indeed was this beautiful woman's husband. How the hell did he win the heart of Motoko Aoyama?

"There's another funny story..." the doctor had the familiar look in his eyes. "... we found it on Motoko's underwear!" Watanabe laughed. Again the newlyweds face-faulted. "P-pervert!" Motoko cried, her hand reflexively going to her waist. She grasped for something, but only found air. Motoko didn't understand why, but she felt as if something was supposed to be there for this situation, but wasn't. "Hey, I don't exactly appreciate Motoko having a hentai for a doctor!" Keitaro said angrily.

"Hold on, guys. I didn't say that I took Mrs. Urashima's panties. A nurse did when she was putting on your hospital gowns! It's standard procedure!" Watanabe raised his arms in front of him once more. This seemed to placate the young couple somewhat, and the doctor resumed his story.

"Anyway, you guys won't believe how many patients we ID with their underwear. After a while, we just adopted that policy on people with no identification. It's better than having a hundred 'Jane and John Does.'" Watanabe said, taking humor on how the hospital's many little known practices always seemed to surprise people.

"I see..." Motoko replied, still a bit peeved at how this doctor seemed to take everything a bit too lightly. "Ok, with that out of the way, we can get on with hospital formalities." Watanabe said, pulling out another piece of paper out of thin air. "These are your MRI scans." he said, pointing to the two laminated printouts.

"As you can see, both of you have suffered some damage to your frontal cortex, the memory processing part of your brain." Motoko and Keitaro nodded, following along so far. "Got it? Good. Anyway, we can't really say how bad your injuries are, but for some strange reason, you two have almost identically similar injuries on both of your brains." Watanabe said, going in to 'oh-my-god-I-have-to-geek-out-about-your-frontal-cortex' mode. Keitaro and Motoko gasped. Sure enough, as Doctor Watanabe overlapped the two pictures on the wall's backlight, the red areas fit on top of each other perfectly.

"Whoa." Keitaro whispered. Motoko only nodded, with her mouth slightly open. "Well, your memories are still intact, but you guys just can't tap into them right now. I can't really say how long you guys will have amnesia, but hey, look on the bright side. At least you guys are starting of your marriage in a special way." Watanabe chuckled. The young couple failed to see the humor in this and stared at the doctor blankly. "I guess not every amnesia-suffering newlyweds will find that funny." the doctor sighed.

"We'll try to contact your families as soon as we can, but most of the time it takes us a few weeks to do this. Also, there's a two-week observation period, so even when we contact your relatives, we can only let you go after that time, understand?" Watanabe finished his long explanation of their situation. The couple nodded.

"Good. If there's anything you guys need, just press the nurse call button. I'll see you guys again later this week." Dr. Watanabe said, rising from his seat and walking to the door. "You guys have a good afternoon." He said behind him as he closed the door.

This left Keitaro and Motoko in an odd silence. It wasn't really awkward, it was just... strange.

"So Motoko-"

"Keitaro I-"

The two cut off each other and laughed. The tension, if you could really call it that, was lifted. "Well, I guess that answers my question." Keitaro said sheepishly, rubbing his nose.

"Ah, yes. It seems we are more than just two people with the same family name." Motoko replied, at ease and nervous at the same time. She was certain the same questions ran through Keitaro's mind as in hers. When did they meet? How intimate where they? What were the details of their wedding? Did they-! Motoko reddened at the thought. They were married. Was he good in bed? Was she? Who's to say that they hadn't, or weren't planning too? (he-he, role switching. gotta' love it. : P)

Keitaro noticed his wife's sudden change of color and decided to ask what she was thinking about. "Oh, just, ah, about, err, us in general..." Motoko laughed weakly, trying to hide her glaring ecchi thoughts.

"Yeah, me too." Keitaro said innocently enough. And sure enough, he was thinking about him and Motoko's new relationship. He just didn't get to think as far ahead as Motoko did or else he would have died of blood loss.

"I guess we never planned to have our honeymoon like this, did we." Keitaro joked, lying back down on his pillows. "It would be the result of poor planning if it were." Motoko replied, also lying down on her side, facing Keitaro. They left each other to their thoughts for a few moments before Motoko spoke once more.

"Keitaro." She said, raising her eyes to the brown haired young man. "What, Motoko?" Keitaro said, turning to face his wife. "How do you think we... fell in love?" Motoko whispered, almost as if she were telling Keitaro a secret. Keitaro smiled and rubbed his chin as if deep in thought.

"I don't have a clue Motoko..." Keitaro began, his face lighting up. "... but I'm sure about one thing." Motoko raised herself up on herself up to hug her knees. "About what, Keitaro." Motoko questioned, feeling content to talk with the gentlemen beside her.

"That I'm the luckiest guy in the world to marry you." Keitaro said softly, sitting up to Motoko's level. "I feel that I too am quite blessed to have wed such a kind man, Keitaro." Motoko said, gently caressing the side of the ronin's cheek with her hand. It was as if time had stopped in that small hospital bedroom. There were only two people that shared that moment.

In the red brilliance of the setting sun, a newlywed couple shared their first kiss.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

End Chapter 1

Author's Notes:

That was sooo waffy! I can't believe that sugary crap came out of my keyboard. I like the way Motoko asked Keitaro if he had any idea on how they fell in love. I personally think it would be quite romantic to talk about possible ways of meeting your special someone. And wouldn't it be funny if Motoko would be the one fantasizing about Keitaro instead of the other way around? I loved that part. I also broke up the paragraphs. Better now, or does it still need work? Here's a question. Do you want the Hinata Girls to visit them first, or Tsuroko-neechan? In my opinion, if the Hinata Girls come visit, it'll jumpstart the story and add new situations for the amnesia-ridden couple. However, if Tsuroko-neechan is the first to visit, I can make Keitaro and Motoko's relationship mature into real, full-blown love, not just campy potshots like blushing and stuff. I really want to deepen Keitaro and Motoko's passion for one another, and a nice, peaceful stay in the mountain dojo (presuming that the Aoyama's school is in some secluded mountain range in the country like all the other secret-art dojo in manga.) would really help them open up even faster. If I get the Hina girls to come, they'll probably drag Motoko and Keitaro back to Hinata-Sou and cause all these deep, inner turmoil for the young couple. Can Keitaro handle his old love with Naru? Can Motoko face her violent past against the man she loves? Anyway, I'm leaving it to the readers. In truth, I'm going to use both devices either way, I just need to find out what you guys want me to do first. (I still like the Tsuroko idea, but since fanfiction is for the fans, you guys go ahead and pick.)

-Lex


	3. INT: Dancing in the Darkness

Disclaimer: See prologue. I don't own the Doughboy, either.

Interlude: Dancing in the Darkness

To put things simply, the hospital is a boring place. When you're bedridden with not much else to do but stare at a TV and wait for your meals to be wheeled in, you have trouble with occupying your time. This didn't seem to be the case for the young couple in room 922.

"A helmet! Wait, no, caribou? I know, it's the Tokyo Tower!" Keitaro blurted out, waving his uninjured hand while his cast pointed towards Motoko. Motoko let out an exasperated sigh, her arms giving out. "No, it was the Pillsbury Doughboy, Keitaro-chan." Motoko replied, cracking her knuckles.

She and Keitaro had been spending the past hour or so playing guess the shadow puppet. Motoko was absolutely brilliant at this game, correctly deducing Keitaro's own sloppily manipulated elephant, bunny rabbit, and half-moon all on first tries.

Keitaro on the other hand...

"Oh come on Motoko-chan, just one more try! I promise I'll get the next one!" Keitaro pleaded, clapping his hands together the best he could. Keitaro willed the most pathetic look he could, producing the most convincing impression of a wounded puppy.

"Oh, not that face, anata." Motoko sighed, knowing that she could never refuse those watery doe-eyes of her husband's. "PWEEEAAASSSEEE!" Keitaro begged, making his eyes grow even wider.

Motoko felt her face growing hot. Finally, she cracked under Keitaro's psychological attack. "Fine, but this is the final shadow puppet, understood?" Motoko smiled softly, raising her deft fingers to the lamp on her headboard.

Motoko's fingers gracefully danced, their shadows merging and morphing into intricate shapes. To Motoko, making her hands perform came as naturally as her instincts towards Keitaro. As the shapes flew across the wall opposite to them, she could be sure of two things.

One was that whatever love Keitaro and she had shared before their unfortunate accident was fast returning. Each day brought her closer to her husband. The other was that she used her hands very much in her past life. Perhaps she was an painter, or maybe a sculptor?

"Wow, a dragon!" Keitaro exclaimed, watching the long, Asian drake flow from on corner of the room to the other. "You got it, Keitaro!" Motoko cheered, looking towards the young man but never letting her hands drop from it's manipulation of light and darkness.

"You are amazing, Motoko-chan." Keitaro said, smiling at her. Motoko once again felt that familiar warm sensation travel up to her chest. "Once again, my husband embarrasses me." Motoko blushed, though inwardly she was leaping for joy.

Keitaro shrugged the little cover-up off. "Oh, come on, Motoko. You know you're good. Don't try to hide it." He smiled, lowering his eyes to his cast. "I'm lucky to have you." Keitaro said softly, his voice shifting from happy and childlike to somber.

Motoko noticed the downcast gaze. Keitaro sighed, feeling gloomier than ever. Maybe this was all a dream, like one of those bad daytime soap operas on TV. Everyday just seemed to good to be true. And there was this gnawing feeling in the back of his head, as if he knew every second he spent with Motoko would just end to make it more painful when he woke up.

Suddenly, a warm feeling closed around his plaster-encased hand. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw five delicate fingers encircle his own. "Keitaro. Maybe, we shall never awake..." Motoko whispered, clinging to Keitaro.

Motoko did not know how she knew what her husband was thinking. She didn't care, either. To wake from this dream would be like living a nightmare. She was surprised when she found Keitaro taking her hand from his cast and clasping it on his own undamaged one.

"I have one shadow for you, Motoko-chan..." Keitaro said, taking Motoko's hand and raising it with his own to the light. Motoko began to speak, but Keitaro hushed her signaling his cast to his lips. He pointed the cast to the opposite wall, and turned to look on the shadow that they both held.

On the wall was a small shape. It wasn't very impressive, nor was it the most intricate puppet, but to Motoko, it brought tears to her eyes. "Thank you, Keitaro..." she whispered.

On the wall, amidst darkness and light, a small heart made from their clasped hands shone through brightly through the shadows...

Author's notes:

While I wait for my pre-reader to reply to my latest chapter, I hope this even waffier installment (the cavities!) will tide you over till then. As always, thanks to all my reviewers. You guys are great. Don't think that I'm just saying that, because I actually used a lot of your suggestions in my latest chapter. It's amazing how great you guys are at giving me ideas, I feel bad that I ripped off about half of them from you guys. I also once again tried to fix my paragraphs, and this one is an example of how I'll try to write from now on. Anyways, this is just working on the newlywed's relationship, so please understand the small chapter. As always, I'd love to hear from you guys. Later.

Lex


	4. Homeward Bound

Chapter 3

Homeward Bound

"How do you think the shall react?"

"To be honest, ma'am, at this point no one can really be sure of any of their reactions."

"I see. Is there anything else we should know before we go in?

"Just no big surprises. They've been through a lot."

"Alright, thank you, doctor."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey, Motoko-chan." Keitaro said as he flipped through the channels of their room's TV.

"Yes, anata?" Motoko replied, half of her focus on the cat's cradle she was trying to turn into Jacob's Ladder.

"Pick a show. I have no idea what to watch." Keitaro finished, tossing the remote nonchalantly towards Motoko's direction.

Motoko didn't even look up from her yarn work but caught the remote using her cradle like a net. She proceeded to unlace one of her hands from her string and surfed through the channels.

Keitaro sometimes wondered how Motoko seemed to be ultra sensitive to her surroundings. When she first started to react to the slightest sounds, and the way she could read the way he spoke, it made him curious. It didn't surprise him. Somehow, he seemed to expect Motoko to be that way.

"Here's one." Motoko said, laying down the remote on the table next to her bed and resting her head on her palms.

Them movie looked interesting enough, Motoko thought. These Akira Kurosawa films seemed to hold her attention, oddly enough.

"Well, some things do not seem to be changed, no matter the situation." An amused voice called from behind them.

A tall, beautiful woman gracefully entered the room, smiling benevolently at the bedridden couple. On her shoulder, a brightly colored bird chirped, looking from one side of the room to the other.

"Umm, hello? Who are you?" Keitaro asked carefully, knowing that in his state, he had to be careful about what he said. The only people he knew well enough to speak confidently were Motoko and Doctor Watanabe, and some of the nurses. He didn't want to hurt what may be someone who was close to him with a careless phrase. Even as an amnesia-ridden idiot he was still a considerate idiot.

"My my, brother-in-law. It seems that Watanabe-sensei was indeed correct in his diagnosis of your mental states, Keitaro-kun." Tsuroko genially replied, taking a seat next to her sister.

"Err, well..." Keitaro stuttered, really at a loss for words.

Tsuroko only smiled before turning her attention to her sister, who had been giving her glances ever since she entered the room.

"Motoko-chan." she said simply as Tsuroko lay her sword to rest beside her.

"I take it you are my oneesan?" Motoko said carefully, with the same trepidation as Keitaro. Not remembering anything could be such a pain sometimes.

Up until that moment, Tsuroko had taken everything that had happened in stride. After all, she was her sister. It was only now that the seriousness of the situation hit her full force.

"Yes, yes. I am your elder sister, Tsuroko, Motoko-chan." she said stroking Motoko's soft raven hair. Motoko smiled gently. Maybe things would work out.

"Oh, that's nice. What brings you here, Tsuroko-san?" Keitaro asked. He was happy for his wife. At least one of them had a link to their memories.

"Ah, of course, little brother. I've come to take you and Motoko-chan home." Tsuroko cheerfully replied. She was relieved at the sight of the newlyweds happy expressions. Her plan was working perfectly...

TBC

Authors Notes:

Oh my! Tsuroko reached them first? What will happen now? How will this affect their relationship? What about the newlyweds? What about the Hina girls? Why do fanfiction writers tend to confuse the word your as in ownership with the contraction you're as in you are? Why am I writing like this? Why is this chapter so short?. Sorry for the wait. I had a huge, boring chapter that just dragged on before I realized I could just shorten it to this size. Anyway, I promise a much more substantial chapter next update, so please don't give up on me. The plot will thicken later on. Oh well, till next time, keep reviewing, true believers

EXCELSIOR!

Lex


	5. Big D and the Kids Table

Chapter 4

Big D and the Kids Table

The Kyoto air greeted Motoko and Keitaro in a rush of wind as they stepped of from the train. The newlyweds held each other's hands, each as their partner's only anchor in this strange and alien city. Alien at least for them anyway.

"So this is my hometown..." Motoko sighed, a twinge of regret in her voice. All around her, beautiful shrines and historic landmarks abounded, yet not one thing seemed familiar. The disappointment she felt was overwhelming. She had so hoped that the sight of her old home would reveal a small spark of remembrance, at least for Keitaro's sake, but all she drew was a blank.

"Hey..." Motoko heard a gentle voice reassure her as Keitaro held her hand closer. ".. . don't worry about it. You'll remember it all someday, and I'll be here with you when you do." Keitaro said, as he pulled his wife into his embrace. Motoko nodded with a small grin, letting herself fall into her husband's arms.

Tsuruko smiled as she witnessed the tender display her two charges put before her. Maybe she wouldn't have to force these two closer together. They were already doing such a fine job about it without her help.

"Come now, you two. Let us leave sightseeing for another day. For now, we must hurry home. Okaasan is worried sick about you." Tsuruko called waving at the two who were still caught in their embrace.

"Let's go, Motoko. Your sister is waiting." Keitaro said, breaking their hug.

Motoko nodded lightly, and she circled her arm around Keitaro's, as the two followed the elder swordswoman down the peaceful city streets.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"We are almost at our destination, Motoko-han." Tsuruko informed her sister, patting her free hand. Motoko smiled and thanked her sister, though on the inside, she was anything but calm and collected. Feelings rushed through her, all of them forming into an uneasy anxiety.

Tsuruko had noticed the shift in Motoko's aura ever since they had left the train station and entered the cable car that traveled the length of the mountain to the Shinmei Ryuu School and Aoyama ancestral home. It had grown steadily as they neared their family home, and she was finally going to say something about it, but was pleasantly surprised when Keitaro, in a moment of insightfulness, decided to intercede.

"Hey, Motoko-chan. Are you alright. You feel a little nervous." Keitaro questioned, a worried expression on his face.

"How..." Motoko whispered, wondering how Keitaro sensed her distress. 'Simple, he is your Anata.' a small voice in her spoke softly, and Motoko knew that she didn't need to hide anything from the man in front of her.

Motoko looked to her lap, clasping her hands together. "Anata... I am... worried about my mother." Motoko confessed, glancing to her side to see Keitaro's reaction.

Keitaro's lips formed a small 'oh' and he nodded in understanding. Motoko felt satisfied and turned to face her husband fully, now taking Keitaro's palm in hers. "What if... what if I say something? What if I act differently? What if I..." Motoko said, looking down once more. " What if I am no longer the daughter I once was?" she whispered, trying to hide the tears waiting to fall from her heavy eyes.

Keitaro knew exactly how Motoko felt. After all, he was going through the same thing himself, and it would be a sad day if Keitaro Urashima let any woman, let alone his wife, shed unfounded tears. He gently cupped his hand on Motoko's soft cheek, and lifted her face to his.

"Motoko-chan. I'm sure everything will be fine. Whether or not you act like you did in the past doesn't matter. Your mother will love you not matter who you become." Keitaro reassured her, in a voice that rang with conviction. "Memories or not, the Motoko I married is strong, strong enough to face her past. That's the woman I love." Keitaro said with finality, wiping away Motoko's tears, and softly kissing his wife that he would stand by no matter what fate threw at them.

Tsuruko knew that the two in front of her needed no more prodding. At first, she was a bit disappointed, even insulted, that Motoko, her own baby sister, did not ask for her comfort in a time when only family can help. But then the elder Aoyama realized that she was no longer the sister that had cared for the girl, no, woman in front of her for seventeen years. To this Motoko, the only true love she had, the only person she could call her own was Keitaro, and Tsuruko could not find it in her heart to blame the two in front of her for such a trifle. Instead, she felt happy for her sister, knowing that true love was a gift that should never be questioned, but cherished for as long as they lived.

'Yes...' Tsuruko inwardly mused. '... there is no need for my meddling. They shall do fine on their own.' Tsuruko felt relieved. Knowing this, all that she had to do was to give the couple time to get used to the growing bond between them. 'All that is left for me to do is guide them to a place where they may acclimate their love for one another...' Tsuruko smiled at the thought. '... and maybe a haven to "consummate" this happy union also.' She grinned. Everything was falling into place...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The Aoyama estate was exactly how Keitaro imagined it. Or at least, how he formerly thought it would be. Although impressive, with it's pagoda-like temples, expansive training halls, beautiful gardens and picturesque view, the point was lost on Keitaro other than it was a nice looking compound.

"So...familiar." Motoko gasped as she walked through the torii gates. The mountain home emanated a feeling of such strong intimacy with Motoko, and though she could not explain how, she knew that this indeed was an important place for her. The rocks, the trees, the buildings, all of them seemed to fit perfectly in Motoko's mind, even if she could not remember anything before her.

"Do you recognize anything, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked hopefully, noticing the twinkle in Motoko's eyes. Perhaps this place could bring back his wife's memories.

"Ah, of course, Motoko-han. Do not these grounds stir some memory in the back of your mind?" Tsuruko said, with equal anticipation. Though the recovery of Motoko's old self might be a hindrance at this junction in her plan, Tsuruko knew that Motoko's fragile state of mind could be broken at any second. The prospect of little chibi-Motokos once again running through the dojo did not overweigh the sanity of her younger sister.

"No. I am sorry, but this feeling is only... a feeling." Motoko replied, truthfully honest in her regret. Of course, this feeling was strong, but it was only that, a sensation. She could not recall anything that stood in front of her.

"True, it may be but a feeling, but every journey begins with but one step. Follow me, you two. It would not serve for you to get lost on the school, especially you, Keitaro." Tsuruko reassured her sister, and gave Keitaro a thinly veiled warning, leading them through the wooden patio hallways.

"For some reason, I can't help but think she's right." Keitaro whispered to his wife.

"I too, have a foreboding that your unattended wandering of these grounds would be quite unpleasant, Anata. Let us quicken our pace." Motoko agreed, also feeling some unexplained certainty that if Keitaro should be left alone in this place, he would be more than just 'a bit uncomfortable'.

The couple held hands once more and hurried to catch the longer stride of the elder Aoyama that guided them.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

The dojo was certainly larger on the inside than the outside suggested. Though not some kind of labyrinth that extended for miles and would take days to navigate, it was still pretty big, the small group walking for almost five minutes now.

The trek didn't help Keitaro's bladder, either. At first, he thought of it rude to just take a leak in someone else's house, but he just couldn't hold it in any longer.

"Umm, Tsuruko-san? Can you show me where the bathroom is?" Keitaro said gingerly, doing a little dance.

"Hmm? Oh, yes, the water closet is to your right, Keitaro." Tsuruko said automatically, without many afterthoughts.

Keitaro nodded gratefully, and went into the room that Tsuruko mentioned. Motoko, who wasn't used to being away from Keitaro, started to follow him.

"Wait for me, Anata." she called out, reflexively latching on to Keitaro's arm as they walked with a faster pace down the hallway.

Tsuruko smiled as she saw how much those two really seemed to be close. It had taken her at least a month to get used to the idea of her own husband going to the same bathroom as she did. 'Yes, so many misunderstandings that first month.'

'Wait a second. The water closet is to your right, Keitaro. To your right, Keitaro. Right, Keitaro. Keitaro. KEITARO?' she mentally screamed.

"Keitaro, no! Do not..." Tsuruko shouted, turning on her heel, but she was cut off by the magnanimous cry of...

"HENTAIIIIIII!"

No sooner was that said than was Keitaro launched through the wall and off into the sky.

"Hey, I remember thiiiiiiiiissssss..." Keitaro yelled, as he landed rather harshly on a stone lion.

"Tsuruko-shishou! Tsuruko-shishou!" a voice called the swordswoman as she felt a tugging at her sleeve.

"Yuri?" Tsuruko said, with a mix of amusement and seriousness in her voice. She regarded the teenager in front of her, but she couldn't really be mad. Maybe ticked off, but Tsuruko-shishou does not get mad.

"This vile, lecherous male was caught trying to molest Motoko-senpai in the onsen! He must be punished!" the young Yuri replied, anger in her voice. "Motoko-senpai was so shocked that she could not even counter the sudden advances of the pervert who ambushed her and attempted to ravage her in the Hot Springs!" Yuri said, pointing behind her with her bokken.

Indeed, Motoko stood statue-still as the scene passed before her eyes, several other girls trying to comfort their senpai from 'the vile male' that attacked her. "Do not worry, senpai. Yuri nailed that horn dog good!" "Yeah. The nerve of him, trying to attack you in your own school."

However, Motoko broke through her stupor. "Anata!" she cried, ignoring the surprised looks the younger girls had and rushed through the hole in the wall to her husband's side. This left a confused class of Shinmei Ryuu students and one pleased Shinmei Ryuu master to watch her tend to her husband.

"Anata! Anata, speak to me, please." Motoko cried, kneeling down and taking Keitaro's head on her lap.

The swirly eyed Keitaro muttered something about 'accidents' and 'not as strong as a Naru-punch', but the young man regained his senses to see the relieved and smiling face of his wife over his.

"Hey, don't cry, Motoko-chan. You know I survived more than this." he chuckled. Motoko smiled brighter, hugging the man in front of her.

"You fool. My fool." Motoko cried with a smile as she embraced Keitaro.

Authors Notes:

There, it's longer. Happy? Maybe you guys can give me more reviews as incentive.

I can explain the honorifics from last chapter. Motoko didn't say Aneue because she doesn't know she's supposed to say it a.k.a. it's an amnesia thing. Secondly, Tsuruko doesn't say Motoko-han because they're having a tender moment and all, seeing her sister in the state that she is in. Thirdly, I didn't call Tsuroko Tsuruko because, umm, err... of butterflies! Ha ha ha, yes, the butterflies...

Also, did it ever say that they're from Kansai or Osaka or Ryukyu or whatever anywhere in the manga? I mean, I guess the colloquialisms would vary from area to area, but would honorifics really be that mangled? I can understand honorifics by area (ex manong, kuya, ate, doy, manang) in Asian countries, but is Japan really that diverse? I know that they are fairly homogenous.

I'm worried that I messed up. Are the Aoyama parents still alive? I forget. Also, it ain't my fault that some of you guys have huge ass screens. I apologize for the small chapter, but I'm just human. Anyway, it doesn't matter. I fixed the foibles. I'm trying to update every twenty five reviews, or if the fic gets knocked down to number 50 in the Love Hina lines, whichever comes first.

Lex


	6. INT: Whatever happened

Interlude 2

Whatever happened to that one girl?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"WHERE ARE THEY?" a very pissed off Kitsune growled as she pushed a mop across the Hot Spring floor. It had been a month since Motoko, Keitaro, and Naru had left for Tsuruko's challenge, and at first, the rest of the Hina girls didn't seem to mind having to pick up after themselves.

But things slowly started to deteriorate after Kaolla's first attempt to make a tracker for the three wayward tenants and landlord. Sure, she tried to clean up after herself, but trying to wipe away scorch marks with a banana powered ceiling buffer tended to blow up in her face, literally and figuratively.

And since Haruka was busy with the tea house and the finances, Shinobu with the cooking and laundry, plus Mutsumi and Su weren't really much help either way, guess who had to do all the grunt work?

The resident alcoholic was busy fuming at the sudden turn of events. Also, she had to grudgingly concede to the fact that Keitaro was more than just a monkey for her entertainment and resident satellite. She now had to take care of the upkeep of the whole house, play at being the gardener, and still have to repair every crack and nick that just seemed to appear overnight in the aging home.

"Ah, Kitsune, don't worry. I'm sure we'll find them soon." Shinobu said from the onsen door as she carried another load of dirty clothes to the washing machine. In truth, she was beginning to worry, though. Not even Motoko had taken this long away for her training camps.

Life at the Hinatasou was turning more and more to a chore for everyone. If the three weren't found soon, the other girls would soon find themselves in the pits.

Thank God for small miracles, though.

"Hello? Is anyone home?" A familiar voice rang through the lobby. You could feel the sudden change in air pressure as the ears of every other Hina girl perked up.

"Naru!"

"Naru-senpai!"

"Heyas!"

Kitsune, Su, and Shinobu dropped whatever they were doing and thanking whatever powers that might be for sending at least Naru home and hopefully Keitaro and Motoko also. As Naru found herself bombarded with greetings, questions, and general silliness from Su's direction, she was happy that at least one place in Japan wanted her around.

"Calm down, everyone. At least let me put down my bags first." Naru said, raising her hands in defense from the barrage that she had to be subject to.

As things calmed down and everyone sat in the living room, Kitsune was the first one to speak up.

"Ahem... Anyway, Naru. Where have you been? Three weeks away from home, and you didn't even bother to call?" Kitsune whined, trying to find the reason for her forced labor for the past few weeks.

"Well, I thought you guys would understand, what with the situation between Motoko and Keitaro..." Naru began, her eyes becoming downcast at the event a month previous. "... Anyway, where are those two. I thought they would at least say hi after what happened..." she continued, her sadness replaced by a growing sense of anger.

"But Naru-senpai, we had hoped that you knew where they were. We haven't heard from Motoko-senpai and Keitaro-senpai ever since they left." Shinobu informed her.

Naru's anger was now once again replaced with curiosity. "You mean they haven't come back yet?" Naru replied, trying to confirm what she just heard from the resident chef and all-around nice girl at Hinatasou.

All three nodded, their faces curious as to what Naru had to say.

Though the ronin was at a loss because of what had transpired that faithful day, she knew that it would be better to bite the bullet now and get it over with having to tell them later when Motoko and Keitaro decide to come back.

"Well... Tsuruko won..." Naru began, and the words just seemed to tumble out of her mouth as she recounted the events of the battle and her subsequent exodus thereafter.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

TBC

TBC

Notes:

Seemed as if I pissed off a couple of people with the whole 25 review thing. Sorry, I guess, but from the amount that I had been getting for previous chapters, and even the crappier ones, I thought it was only a little above unreasonable than totally off the wall. Sorry if I over stepped. I just had the pre-100 review jitters. Besides, I think you guys like the story enough, cuz when I last checked, we only needed four more reviews toward the big 00. After that, I'm gonna relax from the Review glottony and update on my own pace. I'm still going to keep the overall review promise, but I do intend to update early when the time arises.

Anyway, on to the real Author's notes.Well, though this really isn't a chapter per-se, I hope that it would tide you guys over until we really do reach the hundredth review. Plus, you guys seem to have caught the Hina girl fever, and I hope this asprin will tide you over until we get to the Hinatasou centric chapters later on. I stand by my decision for deepening the relationship Keitaro and Motoko have, because it'l provide for a more overall dramatic story. And for the phantom reviewer, I have this to say.

I am Lexmarker.

I mean that in no egotistical, self-proclaiming attitude. I am just human, and if we wrote purely out of the love for an anime, half of us wouldn't bother to post any of our stories at all. Hell, if no one in the world had any self pride, I doubt that the manga and anime that we do base our little stories off of would exist in publication at all.

But don't worry. If I can, I will review earlier. I do feel guilty about putting the weight on your shoulders for the updates when that is solely the responsibility of the author. I truly apologize.

Well, that's about it for me. Thanks again for reading, guys. I hope you'll stick around to see the end of our little drama.

Lexmarker.


	7. Deadeye Dick's New Age Girl

Chapter 5

Deadeye Dick's New Age Girl

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Gomen nasai, Urashima-myouto." the intermediate class of the Shinmei Ryuu sword style led by one Yuri Hanamaru, grudgingly apologized, bowing to the couple in front of them. Of course, the apology was directed mostly towards Motoko. Hell, all of it was directed at Motoko and they didn't give a damn about the so-called husband sitting beside her, but honor demanded that the young swordswomen beg the forgiveness of a superior that they have wronged.

"I-it's alright, really." Keitaro laughed, scratching the back of his head. He really wasn't the type of person to hold a grudge, and he didn't want to get a swelled head from all this attention.

"Besides, it was an accident. I didn't knock, so I should be apologizing to you guys." Keitaro laughed weakly. Hey, old habits die hard, no matter what the mental state.

The girls ignored what Keitaro was saying. After all, they already pegged this whole humiliating ordeal as his fault. Plus, Motoko-senpai still looked upset with them even after Tsuruko-shishou made them bow to the couple.

"Motoko-han?" Tsuruko said, still finding humor in the situation. Two months ago, Motoko would be donning an executioner's outfit and sharpening Shishi-oh's blade if she ever caught Keitaro in the Shinmei Ryuu onsen. Now she was holding a childish grudge and pouting because those "stick-waving hoodlums" as Motoko so eloquently put, had messed with her husband.

"Very well. You seem to have learned your lesson. Now, off with you, for I may lose patience if I see you staring at my husband in such a hostile manner for more than a moment longer." Motoko slowly drew out, dismissing the class with an aura of resentment.

The girls sadly mumbled a chorus of 'Hai, Motoko-senpai.' and went off to continue their training exercises. All of them were thinking along the same lines though. The male shall pay. He had bewitched Motoko-senpai. This is all that cursed Urashima's fault.

"Motoko-han, I must say, that was certainly out of character of you." Tsuruko mused, her hand on her chin.

"I truly regret my actions if they seem out of line, Tsuruko-san, but those hooligans had no right in wantonly attacking my husband. Such attacks are deplorable, totally uncalled for and lacking in honor." Motoko fumed, her eyebrow twitching.

"Of course, of course." Tsuruko smiled. This new Motoko was so much more... spirited than the one she grew up with and had a hand in raising. How would Motoko feel if she told her that she herself had taught these girls their disdain for the opposite sex? "One thing, Motoko-han." Tsuruko said, before she forgot.

"Yes, Tsuruko-san?" Motoko replied, calming down a bit so that only a small jet of steam escaped her ears.

"Please, address me as Aneue. Tsuruko-san sounds so... distant." the sword master confessed, the common honorific sounding so clinical to her.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

To say that the Aoyama matriarch was intimidating was an understatement. As Motoko and Keitaro followed Tsuruko from the training halls into the living quarters, they couldn't help but be impressed at the achievements of the miko family. Suits of armors, countless weapons, trophies, curious and battle prizes adorned the walls as the approached the hearth of the Aoyama home. They had not even seen the woman and they already felt that one false move might be their last.

"Oh, you two need not be afraid. After all, she is just Okaasan." Tsuruko chided, not really seeing what the fuss about meeting their mom and mother-in-law was about. Of course, she wasn't the one under the microscope, so she didn't really feel the pressure that the couple seemed to be facing.

Finally reaching the last shouji sliding door, Motoko and Keitaro couldn't help but feel the tremendous energy emanating from behind the thin rice paper. Both of them swallowed unconsciously, while gripping each other's hand for support.

"Anata..." Motoko whispered, looking towards Keitaro.

"Remember that we'll face this together." Keitaro whispered in reply, his countenance of utter determination and calm. Well, at least his face was, because he was shaking from his shoulders down in fright.

"It is time." Tsuruko announced, sliding the shouji open. The couple braced themselves as a warm light flooded out of the entrance.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Motoko dear." a kind voice greeted the small group as they entered the threshold of the Aoyama home.

"O-okaasan?" Motoko questioned carefully, noticing a warm feeling was spreading throughout her heart as she saw the woman in front of her.

When one bases Nodoka Aoyama towards her family's reputation, they would find themselves pleasantly surprised. Instead of a cold, icy maiden of the sword, the matriarch of the Aoyama clan was the epitome of the traditional Japanese wife, down to her graceful beauty, floral print kimono, and manner of self-carriage.

"Oh, my sweet Motoko-chan." Nodoka said, bringing her amnesia stricken daughter into a loving hug. Motoko could not believe the sensations coursing through her mind. This was so very familiar. This woman before her, she knew that she was someone who cared for her deeply, and despite not having any memories of this person, Motoko knew that her emotions toward her mother had not diminished in the slightest.

"When I heard about the accident, I was beside myself. I had to drag your sister out of bed to take you back home." Nodoka sniffed, still embracing her daughter tightly.

"I-I am fine, okaasan." Motoko stuttered, caught of guard by the way her mother was so open towards her. After all, Tsuruko was very compassionate and more than fond for a sister, but Nodoka just seemed to care about her so much.

"Oh, and they told me about your condition. Well, not to worry, Motoko-chan. I am sure a few days home will help greatly." Nodoka said, placing Motoko on a pillow in the sitting room. "Now you stay here while I prepare the tea." the Aoyama matriarch said, standing up and bustling to the kitchen.

Keitaro stood back and smiled. He was happy for Motoko, having such a doting mother to help her remember her past. The kanrinrin quietly observed the small family reunion, not wanting to intrude.

That was, until Nodoka noticed him leaning against the wall. "And you must be my little girl's darling husband. How nice to finally meet your acquaintance, Urashima-san, or maybe I should call you youshi (son-in-law) now?" Nodoka said, with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh, Keitaro is just fine, shuutome." Keitaro laughed shakily, nervous at how Motoko's mother seemed to be staring at him with appraising eyes.

"And so polite, too..." Nodoka added, linking her arm with Keitaro. "Just call me Nodoka, Keitaro. Now, tell me, how did you meet such a nice man, Motoko-chan." Nodoka said as she sat Keitaro down beside Motoko and took a seat herself at the head of the table.

"Mother, I do not think that would be an appropriate question right now." Tsuruko chastised her mother as she poured the tea.

"How inconsiderate of me. I do apologize, Motoko-chan. It seems I have been too caught up in the prospect of grandchildren that I have forgotten of your condition." Nodoka said meekly.

"Please, do not worry yourself, okaasan. I am fine, really." Motoko tried to comfort her mother, who seemed to be a little depressed about her previous statement.

"Well, forgive this old woman for her childishness, Motoko. I just worry for the future of our school, and the future of my own family. I tend to get carried away." Nodoka explained, taking the air of a concerned mother than of the earlier doting one.

"Yes, you do tend to get carried away, mother." Tsuruko giggled, placing the teapot to the side as she finished pouring for everyone.

"Oh, you tease your okaasan, Tsuruko. What would your father think?" Nodoka cheerfully replied, taking a sip from her cup. Motoko liked what she saw. At first, she though that she would come from a strict, samurai family. From what she could tell, she came from a very tightly knit and loving family. But that just left her with more questions on her mind.

"So Otousan has passed then, mother?" Motoko asked, before realizing what came from her mouth. Tsuruko looked surprised at Motoko's query and Nodoka seemed to deflate a bit as she held her chawan (teacup). "I-I am sorry. I didn't mean to..." Motoko began, regretting ever saying anything in the first place.

"It is alright, daughter. Watanabe-sensei informed us that you would ask of these matters. Besides, this is our family." Nodoka began, putting on a brave face.

So began the long journey of rediscovering the woman that was Motoko Aoyama.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Motoko kneeled in front of the small shrine dedicated to her father. She gazed upon the dignified-looking man in the photograph facing her, as she lit incense in her otousan's honor. She sighed and put the matches away, reflecting on all that she had learned today.

She felt a familiar presence enter the dojo as the shoji slid open. Motoko turned to look as her husband kneeled and paid his respects to the small memorial, clapping his hands together. "Umm, hello there, Aoyama-shuuto. I'm Keitaro Urashima..." he quietly said, bowing his head.

"I'm married to Motoko, sir, and I hope that I shall honor her and your family as you deserve. Please watch over our marriage and us." He whispered, bowing and ending his prayer.

"Hey, how are you feeling, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked with a sincere face. Motoko smiled softly in the pale glow of the candlelight. She silently thanked the gods and her father for giving such a kind husband to her.

"Just tired, anata. Just tired." Motoko sighed. And it was true. She felt so... drained. It had never occurred to her how serious her situation was until that afternoon. So many achievements, high points and low points, happy memories and sad ones all lost in the recesses of her mind. To lose the thing that made a person who they were, and only glimpsing them through the eyes of others, even if they were the people who knew you best. Lost perhaps forever, she feared. It was a burden no one should carry.

Keitaro felt the weariness of Motoko's troubled soul, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "Don't worry. We'll walk this path together..." Keitaro comforted her, holding her closer to him.

"I know, Keitaro, I know." she replied softly, letting herself sink into her husband's warm embrace.

"Come on, let's get some sleep..." Keitaro said, kissing Motoko's forehead before standing and helping Motoko to her feet. Motoko turned and bowed once more to her father, then held Keitaro's hand as they left for their bedroom

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Well, that was... not so easy." Tsuruko sighed as she helped her mother clean the tearoom. This had been a long afternoon for the whole Aoyama family, and Tsuruko knew that this was just the beginning. The questions her sister would ask!

"Now now, Tsuruko-chan. She is your sister, and we are here to help her, no matter what this ordeal brings forth." Nodoka replied, busy putting away the tea set in the proper shelf.

"Still..." Tsuruko smiled. "I think that it may have turned out far worse." She confessed, as she straightened the pillows.

"Whatever do you mean, child?" Nodoka said amusedly, knowing that even after all the not so pleasant moments they had to narrate, they did enjoy some of the more happy moments of Motoko's childhood.

"Hmm, yes. The look she had when I told her of all the times she had crept into you and father's bed during a thunderstorm." Tsuruko reminisced. Motoko had always been afraid of lightning, ever since one of the older students told her that it was a giant turtle spitting fire from the sky.

"The only reason you would know that is because you were right beside her under my arm when those storms passed." Nodoka teased, having a small chuckle at her elder daughter's expense.

"Mother. I stopped that childishness after my eighth birthday!" Tsuruko replied, a bit embarrassed herself.

"Oh, that is not entirely true. I do remember that giant rainstorm that one summer evening when you where twelve. You were holding onto me, and Motoko held onto your father, and both of you jumped at the same moment every time a thunderclap echoed through the house." Nodoka smiled at those precious memories.

"Well, it was a particularly savage storm." Tsuruko blushed; remembering that night just like it was yesterday.

"And besides, that didn't stop you from the time you where fourteen, the time you were sixteen, and that one particular night on your twenty-first birthday..." Nodoka smiled, counting the times on her hand.

"Mother, you are insufferable!" Tsuruko cried, though she was smiling herself. After all, what would we be if we could not find humor in ourselves?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Motoko gazed to the stars as she leaned over the balcony of the guestroom her sister prepared for her. Up in the clear mountain sky, the twinkling lights of the stars and the constant light of the galaxies comforted her as she tried to sort through the events of the day.

She sighed as she tried to recall all the details that had been given to he that afternoon. Her first lesson from her father, her first baby tooth, her mother's stories of her childhood, all of them seemed to mean so much to her sister and mother, yet to her, she just could not commit it to her mind that she was the person that they spoke of.

"Hey." She felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around her back.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" Keitaro said, looking skywards.

"They look so peaceful, do they not?" Motoko whispered, leaning back into Keitaro.

"Yeah..." He replied simply, resting his head on top of Motoko's soft raven locks.

"Keitaro-chan..." Motoko began, turning to face her husband as she rested her cheek on Keitaro's chest. Keitaro knew that whatever Motoko had on her mind would be quite important for her to use his first name.

"Yeah, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro responded, placing his hands on the railing of the balcony as he supported Motoko's weight.

"I...I just cannot see myself as the Motoko that Okaasan and Aneue described. I just don't know..." she said, closing her eyes and listening to the rhythm of Keitaro's heart.

"I don't see why not." Keitaro smiled, as he continued to watch the night sky.

This surprised Motoko. Knowing Keitaro, he would just be saying this to comfort her, trying to ease the pain in her heart. But his reply was so strong, so confident. She felt her husband's aura, trying to find a single shred of doubt, but all she found was an unyielding belief in his words.

"I do not know how you can say that, Anata. The Motoko they spoke was so strong. So different from what I am now." she whispered, a single tear running down her cheek and onto Keitaro's yakuta. "The Motoko they spoke of was..."

"The Motoko they spoke of was compassionate and kind. The Motoko they spoke of was a caring sister, and a devoted daughter. The Motoko they spoke of was stronger than anyone I know. The Motoko I know is a beautiful woman, loving and compassionate. That is the Motoko I know, with or without memories..." Keitaro said, finishing her sentences.

"Keitaro..." Motoko whispered, tears of joy running down her face.

"The Motoko I know is strong, and I am lucky that she chose me against everyone else in the world. I don't see how she can be anyone but the person I'm holding in my arms..." Keitaro finished.

Motoko thanked all the gods in the heavens. "Thank you, my anata..." she said, smiling softly through her tears.

Bringing her arms up and around Keitaro's shoulders, she kissed the man that was her husband with such a passion, such a fire that the gods of love themselves were put to shame. Slowly, Keitaro's hand held Motoko's frame closer, their kiss growing hotter by the second.

"I think... mm... that... ah... we should... bring this... mm... inside..." Keitaro suggested through the kisses.

"I... ah... hah... agree." Motoko nodded, her hand behind her husband's nape, as she hungrily sought more of the feeling she received from his lips.

"Y-yes..." Keitaro replied. They slowly made their way towards their room, and with his free hand, Keitaro quietly slid the shoji shut, while the passionate sounds of their kisses faded away in the crisp mountain night.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

TBC

Notes:  
Well, umm, what can you follow up after that? Well, at least we got to the 25 review mark before I uploaded the next full chapter. After I woke up this morning, I booted up the old computer and saw that we went 9 review over the promised cutoff. I can hear the people getting pissed off already. Sorry, guys.

Hmm. If you guys don't get the Nodoka reference, you'll probably get it next upload. Anyway, wow, a chapter with almost 3000 words. I actually have a fear of super long chapters, because when I read fanfiction, long unbroken chapter usually intimidate me. I like to click that little next button like a recess before heading of into the consequent parts of a story.

About the WAFF. Sorry, guys, but that's about half my writing ability right there. That's why I put Romance as the only category for this fic. Sure, drama and comedy are thrown in there too, but not enough to be secondary genres. I also hear a lot of people saying that Motoko and Keitaro are way too OOC. Yeah, even I feel that they're too far off the spectrum from their original characters, but the next chapter you'll get your old, super confident, sword swinging Motoko again. She'll still be totally goo-goo eyes over Keitaro, but she'll have a lot of her old mannerisms back. I can't promise much for Keitaro, though. In my fic, he's still a clumsy, unlucky, lovable dork. He's just a very supportive, clumsy, unlucky, lovable dork. I know that he seems to be a little too dominant, but that's the way I want to write him.

Anyway, can someone send me a list of the Shinmei Ryuu sword attacks, their English names and a short description? I don't have all the manga and I've never seen the anime, so can somebody help me out? You can either put it on a review or e-mail me on my profile. I check both, so I'll get them either way.

Also, for the people complaining about the length of the last chapter, IT WAS AN INTERLUDE! Not a real chapter, so don't expect those things to be more than 800 words or so.

Well, that's it for me. Sorry for the huge Author's note. Keep reviewing and keep reading.

Lexmarker


	8. Curiouser and curiouser

Chapter 6

Curiouser and curiouser

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Motoko slowly cracked her eyelids open, the morning sun shining through the thin rice paper of the shoji door. She felt so soft and tender, and her cheeks had a pink tint as she sank deeper in the embrace of her husband in the early hours of the day.

"Good morning, sleepyhead..." Keitaro said, smiling with a knowing look on his face. "Yes, it just became, Anata." Motoko replied, snuggling closer to Keitaro underneath the warmth of their comforter.

"Last night was..." Keitaro began, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the woman he held so close in his arms. "...Magic." Motoko finished, sharing the same sentiments as her husband.

They lay contentedly in each other's arms as the seconds passed, just basking in the feeling of last night's adventure into each other.

"We better get up..." Motoko sighed, not really wanting to leave the comfort of their warm bed.

Keitaro shared her thoughts. "No... breakfast can wait for a few more minutes..." He chuckled. A harsh rapping on the wooden frame of the guest room shoji seemed to be adverse to the couple wasting anymore time that morning.

"Keitaro-kun, Motoko-han, rise and shine. You two have wasted half the morning, and I am only excusing this deviation from Motoko's retraining regimen for your, 'ahem', marital relations..." Tsuruko paused behind the shoji, smiling devilishly as she let that particular piece of information sink in.

Inside, the two newlyweds reddened instantly.

"Oh my god..." Keitaro said, blood rushing to his face.

"Aneue heard us?" Motoko was blushing furiously

"... Now you two come downstairs for breakfast before it gets cold." Tsuruko ended, leaving the two lovebirds with their thoughts.

"Your sister sure is blunt." Keitaro mumbled, staggering out of bed, then tripping over the covers. Some things never do change...

"I do not think Aneue shall be our biggest problem today, Anata..." Motoko said, as she picked up a robe her sister thoughtfully but on the bedside table beforehand, covering her state of... well, you adults should know.

"What do you mean by that, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro asked as Motoko handed him the extra blue robe.

"Just another on of those feelings, Anata." Motoko replied as the two made the futon.

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"Good morning, you two." Nodoka chirped as the couple climbed down the stairs.

"It sure is, Nodoka-san." Keitaro replied with equal cheer.

"Ohayo, Okaasan." Motoko said as she held the stair banister.

"Well, breakfast is on the table. I hope you two slept well last night." Nodoka lead them to the breakfast table. On the spread was a traditional Japanese breakfast of steamed rice, Miso soup, and fermented soy beans.

"Wow, this looks great. Thank you, Nodoka-san." Keitaro said.

"Oh, please, Keitaro. You address me so formally. Mother will do fine." Nodoka said as she sat on the opposite side of the table. (Just to point something out, Nodoka is still fairly young. She's only about thirty-eight or so in my story, so she isn't some doddering grandmother or anything. If you know who I based Nodoka off of, you would get the mental picture.)

"No, it just won't feel right, Nodoka-san. Besides, I don't think I can say that with a good conscience until I meet my real mother." Keitaro said with a sorrowful smile.

"My, I seemed to upset you again, Keitaro." Nodoka once again, a little cloud of depression hanging over her. This cleared up as soon as it appeared, though. "Well, in that case, address me as Auntie Nodoka for now. At least that way, we don't have to talk as if we were strangers." Nodoka smiled.

"Ok, Auntie Nodoka." Keitaro brightened. That seemed like a fair compromise.

After that was settled, all that was left was for the two to dig in. Motoko sampled her mother's cooking with a small bite. "Mm. This is certainly more appetizing than that hospital food." Motoko complimented her mother and chef.

"I'll say." Keitaro agreed, taking a big clump of rice in his chopsticks and quickly brought it to his mouth.

"Oh, Keitaro, you have something on your mouth." Motoko said as she finished another bite of her own food.

"Really, where?" Keitaro asked, feeling his face in all the wrong places.

"Here, Anata." Motoko said, snatching the small bits of rice that clung to Keitaro's mouth. "... Say 'ah'." She said in a singsong voice, as if feeding a child.

"Yes dear." Keitaro played along, opening his mouth wide.

The couple laughed as they played their little game, and Nodoka couldn't be any happier for them. The Aoyama matriarch was content to watch her youngest daughter and son-in-law, so young and in love. "You two make such a nice pair." she commented, smiling at her two children.

Motoko and Keitaro grinned in response, a little embarrassed from their small display of affection.

"Yes, you make a lovely family." Nodoka had a faraway look in her eyes. "Yes it shouldn't be long until you two become parents yourselves." Nodoka added, barely containing herself.

Motoko and Keitaro liked that thought. The idea of kids did hold it's own appeal.

"Yes, at the rate you two are going, I should be holding my granddaughter by the end of the year." Nodoka giggled.

Motoko and Keitaro both face-faulted at that. Did everyone in the dojo know about last night!

Out of nowhere, she produced two fans with victory and grandparenthood written in kanji and started doing the grandmother dance.

"Oh, happy day. My little Motoko's finally grown up, and I shall finally be able to hold my grandchild in my arms." She cheered, waving the fans in the air.

Motoko and Keitaro both silently prayed for death as Nodoka began counting off baby names, their faces getting redder and redder by the second...

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"I see you have spoken with mother, Motoko-han?" Tsuruko said, her lips formed into a small smirk as her sister stepped out of the dining room.

"I thought that I would have died of embarrassment." Motoko replied, still a little red from her mother's little speech about the joys of parenthood and the continuation of the family line.

"Now now, I went through the same thing when Kenjiro and me were wed. Did she pull out the victory fans..." Tsuruko reminisced, remembering her own embarrassment the first time her mother pulled the dance on her. In fact, it was worse in her case, as Kenjiro's mother was present also, with their own clan fans. The two mothers danced around in circles for fifteen minutes straight before noticing that Tsuruko and Kenjiro had already snuck off.

"Yes..." Motoko mumbled, feeling more drained than even after the talk they had the day before.

"Oh, mother. You never change." Tsuruko laughed, as she motioned for Motoko to come with her to the changing rooms.

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"So Keitaro-chan. What plans do you have for today. With Motoko out and about with her sister, I fear that you may find yourself with a lack of things to do around the house." Nodoka said as she and Keitaro washed dishes. Nodoka doused, scrubbed, soaped, and rinsed the plates with such a speed that Keitaro had to catch the dishes like Frisbees to dry them.

"Oh, nothing really, Auntie. I didn't really think about what to do for our stay." Keitaro said in between plates, being extra careful with the knives that practically flew at him and into the wall, making him keep his wits about him as he dried the plates.

"Well, if you have nothing planned, I suggest you watch the classes. Who knows, you may pick up a thing or two, Keitaro-chan." Nodoka recommended.

"I'll keep that in mind, Auntie." Keitaro said, as he ran long for a rather high flying soup bowl.

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"I am ready, Aneue." Motoko announced, holding up her arms.

"Ara. Motoko-han, those strips are not for your hands." Tsuruko reddened. 'I guess I have to teach her how to put on chest-bindings again...' Tsuruko mentally grumbled.

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"Man, that was a workout..." Keitaro groaned as he dragged himself away from the Aoyama compound on the Shinmei Ryuu School. After the incident involving Motoko and Keitaro, the rest of the dojo already knew the relationship between Keitaro and their senpai. This meant that Keitaro could wander about freely as long as he kept a good distance from the dorms, changing rooms, and lady's bath.

Still, Keitaro wasn't as dull as to think that he was welcome anywhere other than the Aoyama house. He could still feel the animosity from almost every student except for the youngest practitioners, and he received more than his fair share of cold shoulders as he walked along the dojo halls.

He was about to give up and just return to the guest room to read a book when he felt a soft tug on his yukata (summer shirt) sleeve. Keitaro knew that he had to be on guard whenever he was by himself outside the Aoyama compound, but he wasn't at all expecting the person in front of him.

"H-hello, Mister? Can you tell me where the beginners hall is?" A cute little girl with long, black hair, no more than four, tugged at his sleeve. The child held her own little bokken and wore a miniature version of Motoko's keikogi and hakama.

Keitaro was amazed at the determination the Aoyama clan had in preserving the Shinmei Ryuu. Nodoka had told him that most of her relatives usually sent their kids here regularly for summers beginning at the age of eight, and that they had overnight weekend camps for girls age four to six to acclimate them to the style.

The school itself was supported by the very influential parents of the family, most holding high seats in the government, or owners of large Zaibatsu corporations. Nodoka herself was considered a living national treasure, and it wouldn't be long until the school itself would be recognized as a historical heritage site. So at least Keitaro knew why such a young girl was practicing the sword arts.

"Sure, come on, I'll take you there." Keitaro smiled warmly at the little girl, taking her hand in his and leading her towards the beginners hall.

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"You lift it up to here, and put your hands right there." Yuri instructed, gently correcting the little girl's form.

"Thanks, Hanamura-senpai!" the girl replied happily and started swinging the bokken up and down.

"Don't mention it..." Yuri said, ruffling the girl's hair.She straitened her back and surveyed the beginners class. In truth, it was more like a daycare than a real class, but Yuri was happy to be teaching nonetheless. Giving them the basics now would mean that they could go straight to techniques when they started to seriously train with the sword, and that would help to strengthen the Shinmei Ryuu even further.

"Yuri-oneesan!" she heard from behind her. Yuri brightened at the sound of that cheerful voice. "Mei-chan!" Yuri replies as she scooped up the girl into a bear hug.

"Mom and dad said you'd be here at twelve. Where were you?" Yuri asked her little sister.

"I got lost. That nice guy over there helped me." Mei said, pointing her bokken towards Keitaro, who was watching from the doorframe.

"You..." Yuri spat out with venom. Though she knew that Keitaro was now the husband of the future heir of the Shinmei Ryuu, that didn't mean that she had to like him.

"What were you doing with my little sister!" Yuri said, her voice rising.

"Hey, hey, take it easy, Hanamaru-san." Keitaro yelped, raising his hands to show his innocence. "I just showed her to the beginners hall, that's all, really!" he explained, his self-preservation mechanism kicking in. Even though he never got much of a chance to use it in Hinatasou, it came out with full force now that he actually had a chance to explain himself.

"Yeah, he told me funny jokes and made faces and told me stories about Motoko-senpai." Mei recounted for her sister as she sat in her arms.

Yuri looked like she was at a loss. She really wanted to have a reason to send Keitaro sky high for even daring to show his face to her for the other day, but Mei seemed to have made friends with the stupid male and she really didn't want to hurt her little sister's feelings.

"Go and play with the other children, Mei-chan. I want to have a word with Urashima-san." she said, emphasizing the san as she let Mei down to practice with the other girls.

She turned to Keitaro with a cold look in her eyes and slowly made her way to the doorframe.

"Look, I don't know what you're trying to pull or what you did to Motoko-senpai to think that she cares about you, but I don't believe for a second any of this. I don't know why Tsuruko-shishou and Grand Master Nodoka let you carry on, but I'm keeping an eye on you." Yuri said in a low, menacing voice.

With that, she slid the shoji door shut with so much force that the frame shook dust from it's beams.

"Um, you're welcome?" Keitaro said to the door, not knowing how else to react to the little speech Yuri just gave.

Shrugging, Keitaro walked away and decided he would just have to accept the fact that there were some people who wouldn't change their opinions no matter what the circumstance .

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"Very good, Motoko-han. Your skills have not diminished in the slightest, at least as far as your forms go." Tsuruko commended her sister. Barely an hour after they had finished warm-ups had Motoko shown that even in her state of mind, she was still a master at the art.

Her stance, balance, the way she held her bokken, all of it showed that she had great proficiency with the sword, and Motoko was surprised that she even knew how to swing it without cutting off anyone's limbs.

"I never knew..." Motoko replied in awe at her own skills. This piece of wood that she held in her hand. Nothing but a piece of wood. Yet, it fit so perfectly in her palm. Her movements were so fluid and natural with it. This piece of wood that she held, it was power!

"I would imagine that it is a bit of a shock. Waking one day to find yourself with a great skill would be a thrill for anyone." Tsuruko mused, glad that Motoko at least wanted to continue to learn about this aspect of her past.

"Yes." Motoko agreed simply. She was still so fascinated by this new talent. This explained her constant reflexes toward her waist, among other things.

"I am pleased that you think likewise. Now, enough of these exercises. We shall see if your ki attacks are as intact as your muscle memory." Tsuruko stated simply, taking her own wooden sword from it's rack and patiently explained the fundamentals of the Shinmei Ryuu special attacks.

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Keitaro once again found himself without much to do. After his little exchange with Yuri, he was convinced that the only good thing about this place was the view and that Motoko was reclaiming her past here. As far as the people within the great Shinmei Ryuu School were concerned, only Nodoka, Tsuruko, and the beginners class didn't seem to think of him less than for what he was born as.

And speaking of the beginners class...

"Hey, Keitaro-san." Mei greeted him as he sat by himself near the stone lion that he knocked heads with that first memorable day.

"Oh, hey, Mei-chan." Keitaro greeted in turn. "Where's your sister?" he added warily, scanning the surroundings.

"Oh, she's taking lessons with the other secondary students." Mei responded, approaching Keitaro and his lion. Keitaro noticed that two other girls were tagging behind Mei, giving him cautious looks of their own.

"Looks as if you've brought along a couple of friends." Keitaro said as Mei sat beside at the lion's base.

"Oh yeah, that's Hikari and that's Megumi." Mei happily answered the young man, motioning for her friends to come closer. "Come on, you guys. It's only Keitaro-san." she coaxed, egging her friends on

The two girls inched towards the three (Mr. Lion included), and sat on the other side of Mei.

"Hanamaru-senpai said that you were a meanie, Keitaro-san. You don't look too evil." The one with the ponytail, Hikari said innocently, playing with the sleeves of her gi.

"Well, I don't think I'm that evil." Keitaro laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Is it true that you're Aoyama-senpai's husband, Keitaro-san?" Megumi, the girl with shoulder-length brown hair questioned, looking at the bespectacled man.

"Yeah. Motoko-chan's my wife. See." Keitaro said, showing the girls his wedding ring.

The three young kendoists oohed and ahhed, their eyes going wide in curiosity.

"See, I told you he was married to Motoko-senpai." Mei said proudly, happy that she had proven herself to her friends.

"Wow, you must really be somebody special to get Motoko-senpai to fall in love with you..." Megumi said in awe, still bedazzled by his wedding band.

"I bet you beat her in a fight and carried her away, didn't you, Keitaro-san!" Mei said, her four year old imagination running wild.

"No way. Motoko-senpai would never lose a fight, even if it's with her husband." Hikari laughed, waving off her friend.

"I think that Keitaro-san could. How else would you explain how he got Motoko-senpai to marry him." Mei replied, causing Keitaro to fall over in disbelief.

"Err..." Keitaro said with a big sweatdrop, not really sure as to how to respond to something like that.

"Oh, Keitaro-san did win something from Motoko, children. Perhaps not in the way that you think, but it must have taken him a great deal of passion to win over my daughter." Nodoka's cheerful voice answered for the beleaguered Keitaro, who was still trying to recover from Megumi's earlier statement.

"Konnichiwa, Nodoka-sensei." the little girls said automatically, hopping of Komainu-san (stone lion) to bow to the Shinmei Ryuu master.

"Good afternoon to you too, girls." Nodoka replied, patting each of the girls on the head.

"Hello, Auntie Nodoka." Keitaro also greeted his mother-in-law, hopping off of Komainu-san.

"It seems you have made some friends after all, Keitaro-chan. I hope this morning has not been too stressful for you." Nodoka stated.

"No, not at all, Auntie. A couple of rough patches, but nothing that can't be fixed." Keitaro responded, feeling a little depressed from all the negativity that he received from the older students.

"I see, the whole 'We hate men!' stigma, is it?" Nodoka sadly said.

"Oh, that's not bothering me at all, Auntie, really." Keitaro fibbed. He really didn't want to cause any trouble for anyone. So what if he wasn't all that welcome? He could live with that.

"No, no. I do feel as if I am partly to blame, after all." Nodoka said softly. Looking over to the three little girls, she felt so very disheartened. "Come, all of you. I have to show you something."

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Keitaro felt a little uneasy as he passed the darkened halls and storerooms of the Shinmei Ryuu dojo. He felt a little creeped-out as the empty suits of armor, fearsome looking weapons, and menacing scrolls depicting graphic exorcism rituals. The mood of the large stockroom was just too eerie.

Mei, Hikari, and Megumi weren't too bothered by it, though. To them, it was an adventure. After making friends with Keitaro-san, they got to go into the off-limits areas off the dojo with Nodoka-sensei to boot.

"Here we are..." Nodoka exclaimed as she drew a medium sized box from under a rack of halberds. It was dusty and postmarked many years ago, and Keitaro knew that whatever the boxes held were something very important.

"Keitaro-chan, be a dear and help me with these albums." Nodoka said as she handed tomes for Keitaro to get out of the way.

"Sure, Auntie." Keitaro said, taking the books and putting them aside.

After a minute or so of searching, Nodoka's face changed from concentration to a look with mixed happiness and sorrow.

"Yes, this is it. Let us leave this stuffy room. I have something to show you all in the patio." Nodoka stated, tucking the particular album under her arm. "There is a story that goes along with these pictures, and I would like for you all to see them as clearly as you can." Nodoka added, as she ushered her charges out the door...

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TBC

Author's Notes:

Did you guys know that curiouser isn't a word. Just wanted to say that. On to the real meaty stuff.

I really need a list of the Shinmei Ryuu techniques and their descriptions. I seriously can't make another chapter until someone outlines them for me, and list which one is the true ougi, or final secret attack. E-mail or review, it doesn't matter. I need those attacks!

Speaking of reviews, that little promise I made is coming back to bite me in the ass. You guys switched from complaining about the twenty-five review thing to actually sending me e-mails about why I'm not keeping my word. It's barely been two days and you guys are asking me for another chapter from installment seven already! The chapters average at about nineteen reviews a pop, but installment 7 received about 27 reviews by the time I uploaded this chapter. I'm counting by overall reviews, but until I get those sword moves, I can't move forward.

There's still Nodoka's interlude between this and the next chapter on why the Shinmei Ryuu is predominantly female and anti-dude, but that won't come in for a little bit either.

So, if the fan waving and the grandmother bit still hasn't tipped you off on who Nodoka is based off of, I guess I'll just have to take out the honor sword, sepukku contracts, and Nannichuan water to jog your memories, huh? (If you guys still don't get it, go to your local bookstore and check all the titles by Rumiko Takahashi. And no, it is not from Inuyasha.)

I feel as if I've written myself into a corner. One part of it is that I still don't have the technique list, and another is that I have no idea on how to play off what's in the albums. I guess I'll just have to figure that our before I start the next interlude.

Also, I didn't consider my last post gigantic or anything. I was just saying that it was a large upload for me personally. I know writers that upload 100,00 word chapter per story. I'm was just stating that and my fear of large chapters as a fact.

Let's see, what else do I have to talk about.

Oh yeah, I'll have to take writting down a notch for a while. My mother is about to have surgery, and I'll have to help out more around the house.

That's about it for me. Keep reviewing, and help me out with those sword attacks!

Lexmarker


	9. All in the Family

Disclaimer: Just to remind you guys, Love Hina is somebody else's property.

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Chapter 7

All in the Family

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"Let me see, where to begin..." Nodoka began as she thoughtfully flipped through the timeworn pages of the photo album. The small group consisting of Keitaro and the little girls sat in a semi-circle around the Shinmei Ryuu master, eager for her to begin her story.

"Ah, I know. Who here can tell me the history of the Shinmei Ryuu School and Temple?" Nodoka asked, trying to involve her listeners in her tale.

"Ooh, I know! I know!" Mei said, raising her hand excitedly.

"Of course, dear. Can you tell me how it goes?" Nodoka smiled, encouraging the little kendo student.

"The school was started 600 years ago to protect the emperor from demons, right Nodoka-sensei?" Mei said, pleased with herself for remembering all the stories that her sister told her.

"Very good. Now, a long time ago, the school was nothing more than a shrine that happened to be quite successful at exorcizing demons. The emperor took notice of our skills and decided to make us the official temple for the capital of Kyoto." Nodoka began, showing the group a copy of the certificate that hung in the Kyoto Palace, showing that they were officially this city's protectors against the demons of the spirit world.

"Now, this brought a lot of attention towards our shrine. Remember, at this time, we were not a school for martial arts but rather a family run temple. Our miko priestesses used ritual sword dances to banish demons from this plane to the next. They were only choreography done with a ceremonial blade, not the art we practice today." Nodoka continued, showing them a photograph of the wall scrolls depicting the rituals that were needed to be done to exile said demons. Keitaro and the girls nodded in attention, fascinated by the story of the Shinmei Ryuu dojo.

"Well, people in those days were either very paranoid or very unlucky. All of them had problems to be attended to, whether they were truly concerning matters of the spiritual or plain superstition. And after the emperor's decree, we found ourselves with more attention than we could handle." Nodoka continued, looking wistful at the thought.

"In any case, we had so many requests and exorcisms to perform that we no longer could afford to take the time in purifying, cleansing, or any of our usual rituals. A proper sword dance would have taken at least a week to perform, as the scrolls of our past depict. However, time was no longer a luxury. We had become an entire city's spiritual police, in charge of the safety and well being of Kyoto itself." Nodoka narrated, showing the children a map of how Kyoto was divided many centuries ago.

"Now, in those days, we rarely came into actual contact to the demons we banished, yet with the abruptness of our call, we began to adapt the style to be faster, more powerful than before, able to join battle with the demons if need be. We imbedded the skills of our miko with the power of the sword. In turn, the sword itself became the entire ritual, giving us the ability to respond to the needs of Kyoto by throwing away the cumbersome choreography and frills that had been delaying our duties." Nodoka said to the children.

"Still, Shinmei Ryuu was not a true sword art but rather a very focused form of ki that can be used not only against demons but also the material world as well." Nodoka explained, stressing the difference between having a ki-based attack with martial arts. "That drew the attention of swordsmen and samurai from all Japan. A way to significantly increase their own sword styles with the power of the Kamis themselves was very appealing."

"So through the centuries, not only had our family become a distinguished part of Japanese divine history, but also an honored samurai clan. The most dedicated of the warriors who came to learn of our power eventually married into our family, providing us with a powerful base for the katana and it's teachings. With this, the efficiency and spiritual power of the Shinmei Ryuu was doubled, and became the martial art that continues to grow to this very day, with your generation." Nodoka said proudly, closing the album she held.

"That was a great story, Nodoka-sensei." Megumi said, happy to know a little more about the style she was learning.

"Yeah, that was a very, umm, enlightening!" Hikari agreed, using a big word her father always said.

"Thank you children. Now you run along, I have to speak with Keitaro for a moment." Nodoka said in appreciation, though having to shoo the girls before going further with her conversations.

"Okay. Come on guys, race you to Komainu-san!" Mei said as she took of, and the trio of girls sped away laughing at their new game. Nodoka and Keitaro smiled as the three went off to play on the stone lion, but they felt the weight of a more serious issue at hand.

"So this is probably about why the school doesn't have a very good outlook on males, huh, Auntie?" Keitaro said, noting the now much sober look Nodoka held as she reached for the second album in her pile.

"Yes, Keitaro-chan. You, as the husband of the heir for my school and family have every right to know of some of our darker secrets." Nodoka said. "Come, sit, my son." Nodoka called, patting the empty space on the patio floor she sat beside.

"There have always been some stress in the school towards who the sword may be taught to." Nodoka sighed, as Keitaro sat beside her. "One of which was a general confusion of sorts, dating back to the samurai who intermarried into my family." Nodoka clarified, going on.

"When the first generation between the marriages of the miko and the samurai grew of age, there was some uncertainty as to what our family had become. The men, wanting for their sons to become warriors such as they, were very much supportive towards the instruction of males in the Shinmei Ryuu. But first and foremost, we were the miko of Kyoto. If the males were to be taught the sword because of the stations their fathers held, even more so for the girls to be taught as they were the reason for the conception of the style in the first place." Nodoka explained, delving deep into the political history of her family.

"So was that the start of all the trouble?" Keitaro ventured, seeing as how the fathers of that era may be opposed to the inclusion of women to their arts.

"Oh, no. At first they were very much supportive of the idea." Nodoka said with an amused smile. "After all, while their sons were off to battle, their daughters brought them even further glory as the protectors of the city. There was little opposition at first." Nodoka stated.

"So what happened along the way, then?" Keitaro asked, not really sure as how the rift developed when the school politics didn't seem to be much of a problem.

"Yes, but as the years drew on, the gap between the two widened." Nodoka said, considering Keitaro's bewildered look. "Competition grew between the men and women of the school. The boys complained that the girls were receiving more training in the ki aspects of the style, which was true due to the duties of the women, and wanted the power of the Shinmei Ryuu demon banishment moves. The women countered that the men who were more advanced due to their expectations in society, argued that the men were getting more attention in the physical aspect of the art. While having immense ability in the spiritual blade, the women had very little prowess with the more practical techniques that were passed down through the samurai half of the family." Nodoka said, her face carrying a morose look.

"The arguments caused much strife and discord in the family. After a while, the Shinmei Ryuu was actually two schools, one that stressed the importance of the ki attacks, on that taught the focus on the sword art itself." Nodoka paused, mulling over her words.

"I see where this is going..." Keitaro said. He didn't know much about his wife's family or their history, but he knew enough about how things worked in the world to draw a few conclusions. On thing still bothered him, though. "... But from what I can tell, there is no male Shinmei Ryuu school, and the students here are just as good with the physical sword techniques as the ki blasts." Keitaro thought out loud.

"Very good, Keitaro-chan. You are perceptive." Nodoka smiled. "Well, the competition grew and grew as time went on. However, there was one thing that totally shattered the prospect of male influence in the school. After Perry and the Black Ships came to port, the samurai line was all but eradicated. But since the female school was ordained as a religious form on paper, the women of the Shinmei Ryuu were hardly effected at all by the Meiji era, whose sweeping reforms did not touch upon the faith." Nodoka explained.

This made all the sense for Keitaro. Now he knew the reason behind the matriarchy of Shinmei Ryuu.

"That basically nailed down the coffin of the Shinmei Ryuu male school. Having no right to the sword, the forms were absorbed into the Shinmei Ryuu you see today, Keitaro. Of course, the prejudice against female kendo practitioners and other modern conventions also added to the stigma against males in the school, but I'm afraid that we have carried on this grudge for too long a time." Nodoka sighed once more, once again concerned for the future of her school.

"We were lucky that for at least two generation since the Meiji era, only women have inherited the school. In truth, I am relieved that only girls have been born to my great-grandmother up to my line. But times have changed. If the school is to move on, we must forgive and forget the past mistakes of our ancestors." Nodoka said with a determination Keitaro had not seen in the serene woman since he first met her.

"My mother knew this fact, as do I today. She was the first to accept a promising young man in our school. Tsuruko and Motoko's father, my husband, was the first male student in nearly a century. He was the best of that generation, also, being the first outsider to completely master the art and learn the final attack, not to mention _very_ handsome. It was impossible for me not to fall in love with him." Nodoka paused and blushed for a moment as that piece of history.

"The school was on it's way to healing. With Minoru as my husband, he was considered an equal to the Grand Master of Shinmei Ryuu. But the world was just as opposed to the idea of an all women's kendo school as we were to the inclusion of men in our own circle. Minoru died without ever seeing any progress in his dream, and the dream seemed to have died with him." Nodoka said sadly, looking down to her lap.

"When Minoru's proposal to reinstate Shinmei Ryuu as a true form of sword arts and no longer just a school hidden behind the shroud of religious ritual was rejected, Motoko and Tsuruko had the unfortunate luck to have overheard the conversation. Tsuruko, who was thirteen at the time, knew they were being unfair but understood the prejudices against women and the hardships her father had to endure to secure Shinmei Ryuu's position in the world. She did go through a phase of disliking men, and her students reflect that today. But she eventually got over that part of her life and is beginning to see my reasoning towards the reformation of the school." Nodoka seemed proud of her eldest daughter, but she darkened as she detailed the rest of her story.

"Motoko, on the other hand, knew only that they did not recognize our school due to the fact that we were predominantly women, and that they considered men superior to our students. This, coupled with the fact that Tsuruko herself held disdain for men at the time, only served to fuel her fire. After Tsuruko married Kenjiro, she only became more aggressive towards men, and the other students share her views today" Nodoka said solemnly.

"But, if she hated men so much, why did she marry me? How was I different?" Keitaro said. In his heart, he still carried doubt about his and Motoko's marriage. Now with this bit of information, he couldn't fathom how Motoko had taken him, just another guy, to be worthy of her hand in marriage.

Nodoka' gaze softened and she placed her hands over Keitaro's.

"Keitaro-chan, Motoko has carried this scar for many years. For her to open up to you, even after all she has been through, to make her see you for something more than just another man, you are truly someone special. My daughter chose the right husband, and you have the won her heart because of who you are, not as what you were born as. Take care of her, Keitaro. If she ever remembers who she was in the past, you may be the only one she can truly come to for understanding." Nodoka intoned, her eyes showing wisdom beyond her years, one that only came through pain and hardship.

"It no longer matters how or why you two became wed. What matters is that both of you love each other. It is as simple as that Keitaro-chan." Nodoka said softly, giving Keitaro's hands one more squeeze as she stood to leave.

Keitaro smiled as he watched the Nodoka's figure disappear behind the corner.

"Thank you, Nodoka-san." Keitaro said under his breath. He had a lot to think about...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

TBC

Author's Notes:

Thank God for you, Kei-kun, Jihi, Martrex, and aladeth. Thank God for you.

I finally have at least enough information on Shinmei Ryuu to go forward with the story. The corner I wrote myself into wasn't as big as I thought.

One thing that struck me for the reviews of last chapter was that no one seemed to be too surprised that Keitaro and Motoko glaringly having consummated their marriage. I wonder what's up with that.

I don't really know what to call this. It's not really a chapter or an interlude. 2300 worth, but it seems so much shorter than that. Must be the smaller paragraphs.

Maybe Ranma and the others will have very small cameos, but this is not a cross-over. I used the word based for Nodoka, meaning that my Nodoka will have many similarities but is not Nodoka Saotome.

I hope this chapter, since that's what I put it as, wasn't too technical or far-fetched. I just needed a base for Motoko's hate.

Anyway, I guess that's all I have to say.

Lexmarker


	10. INT:Grand Theft Autumn, Acoustic Version

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Interlude:

Grand Theft Autumn, Acoustic Version

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OoOoOoO

"Hiken Zaankutsen! Zan Gan Ken! Kami Nari Ken!"

Three successive strikes met three successive boulders. Though only one held the title to cleave stones into two, all three had devastating effects on the massive rocks. All three were shattered, charred, or turned completely into dust.

Motoko's countenance only revealed immense focus and concentration. She held her bokken at arm's length, her breathing even and rhythmic. At first, she had been amazed at the strength of her art. Now, she only thought of improving it, to advancing it further, to push it to the realm of perfection.

Tsuruko clapped her hands together, thoroughly impressed. Motoko had taken to her instruction like a fish to water. Not only had she fully grasped her teachings, she had absorbed them, surpassing the elder sister's expectations.

"Well done, Motoko-han. Three strikes without hesitation, and yet there is hardly pause to your breath." Tsuruko exclaimed. Tsuruko was not one to give out compliments, but her sister's focus and skill was worthy of her praise.

"Thank you, Aneue." Motoko replied, lowering the wooden sword, though her aura still permeated deadly concentration and intensity. It was as if nothing but her sword and the feeling she held mattered. It was euphoric, like a controlled runner's high.

"Indeed, it was a marked improvement from your performance a year before." Tsuruko commented from her seat on the garden stones. The back lot, as it had no official name, of the Shinmei Ryuu dojo was just littered with enormous boulders, ranging from the mossy, chair sized ones Tsuruko rested on, to the giant rocks that looked more like obelisks and menhirs than natural geological formations.

"Really? Something must have held me back then. I feel no different than I did when I first awoke in the hospital." Motoko said, joining her sister on an adjacent rock. She set her bokken to her side as Tsuruko nodded, looking as if she was debating on telling her something of importance.

"Hmm. A year ago, you did seem to have a slight obsession with the art..." Tsuruko recounted, looking to the clouds.

"Why would that be a hindrance to my skill, Aneue?" Motoko asked. She knew that fanaticism towards anything was unhealthy, but she held a normal enthusiasm, towards her art, at least in her opinion.

"No, no. Let me rephrase that. You had an obsession towards the state of our school." Tsuruko said cryptically.

"Now why would that be, Tsuruko?" Motoko said. Maybe it was the amnesia talking, but Motoko didn't see anything wrong with the school.

Tsuruko looked uneasy for a moment. She fingered the hilt of her sword, trying to find the words to explain the situation to her sister, and they were not coming to her very easily.

"You remember the conversation we had with mother, the one about you and your stance with men..." Tsuruko said, looking Motoko straight in the eye.

Motoko slowly nodded, not really seeing how this was going anywhere. She remembered her mother and sister saying something about her being uncomfortable around the opposite sex, and they seemed to rush the subject when they touched upon it, but, she didn't really see a problem in that. She was, if Keitaro was to be believed, a very attractive, strong, independent young woman. Of course she would be a little wary of boys around her age.

Right?

"... You had more than just a problem with men. You see you were a very aggressive man-hater, for lack of a better term..." Tsuruko paused, waiting for Motoko's reaction.

"I... disliked men?" Motoko said, with a disbelieving and slightly shocked expression.

"That would be putting it in the gentlest of terms." Tsuruko added with a slight chuckle.

"How 'aggressive' was I, Aneue?" Motoko queried, still not quite getting her sister's approximation.

"To the point where half of your purpose on studying our style was for the purpose of punishing said males." Tsuruko said, knowing that the only way through this would be through gut-wrenching honesty.

"But... but that is such a petty reason for practicing the art, Aneue!" Motoko protested as she slammed (Well, not slammed. Maybe just putting her hand very harshly.) on the stone she sat on, not liking the notion that she only studied what seemed to be her greatest skill out of pure spite towards men.

Tsuruko did not like the sudden turn of her sister's emotions, and gave Motoko a disapproving glare. Motoko instantly sobered up, the look of an elder sibling's displeasure spanning the gap of her memory loss.

"As I was saying, you were not particularly as predisposed towards men as you are now." Tsuruko once again paused, wanting her words to sink in this time instead of being interrupted.

Motoko slowly digested this new piece of information. Her? A sexist revenge warrior? She was starting to question her past more thoroughly now, almost as if she were learning about an evil twin sister or something along those lines.

"I know that this may be a little difficult to digest, Motoko-han, but I speak the truth. You had your reasons, as did I at one point, and I do not blame you for thinking the way you did. You have made exceptional progress since then, Keitaro being the prime example." Tsuruko said, smiling reassuringly to her sister.

Motoko nodded glumly, but perked at the mention of her husband's name.

"I must have. To feel the way I do for my Anata, and to feel it so strongly..." Motoko began, trailing off as she placed her hand on her heart.

"... If there was ever an ill thought in my mind, I know that Keitaro has quelled it with his love..." Motoko whispered, feeling at peace with that thought.

"Spare me your feelings, Motoko-han. As much as I am happy for your marriage, that does not mean I will put up with your poetry as well." Tsuruko teased with a good-natured laugh.

"Yes, I suppose that was a bit much, was it not?" Motoko smiled in reply. She did lay it on a bit thickly. A thought struck her, though, as she and her sister were discussing the past.

"Aneue..." Motoko began, with curious eyes.

"Yes, Motoko-han." Tsuruko replied, still in a good mood after sharing with her sister.

"You seem to know a lot about me and my Anata, at least more familiar than mother. Tell me, do you know how we were married?" Motoko asked in pure interest.

Tsuruko audibly gulped, no matter how out of character that may have been.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

TBC

Author's Notes:

Well, that's another interlude. I wonder what you guys have to say about this? Anyway, I still don't know whether Keitaro is going to study Shinmei Ryuu or not, but I noticed something. Ken Akamatsu seems to like to switch roles a lot in his comics, and I was just speculating that since Kanako studies the art of the halberd (pike, staff, zanbatou, etc.), then that would be the Urashima family art, correct?

Well, not taking the manga in account due to the fact that Keitaro wields a sword against Motoko in the later issues, he would probably be studying the halberd like his sister, if you guys are following my line of thought. Anyway, the halberd is the female counterpart of the katana in Japan, and has a history equal to the sword in almost all aspects, even if it isn't as popularized overseas as the samurai blade.

Anyway, it is rather funny to me if Keitaro did practice the halberd like his sister. I mean, Motoko with the outspoken, straight to the point 'manly' swordsmanship while Keitaro was a master of the halberd, more feminine in it's handling and bearing, or so I am told. Just a funny picture, if you dabble in martial arts history like me.

For purposes of the story, I chose to ignore Akamatsu's description. I haven't read that far in Negima, seeing as they are shrink wrapped and I don't have any money at the present, so I wouldn't really know the 'Akamatsu' history of Shinmei Ryuu. However, I get the feeling it isn't as flattering as I made it out to be.

The consummation thing. They are doing it a _lot_. In the closet, in the baths, in the garden behind the rock, on top of Komainu-san... well, maybe not... or maybe so. Anyway, I like the idea that Motoko's repressed sexuality comes to fore after she loses her prejudices. We've seen that in the second chapter, with the whole her thinking about it while Keitaro isn't. Still, it's up to you guys to think how open Motoko and Keitaro are in their relationship. If you're like me, you'd like the whole horny bunny point of view. Still, I plan on them having more exploits in the story, and they are useful little plot devices in their own right.

Well, that's about it for me.

Keep reviewing

Lexmarker


	11. Lost Time and Making up for It

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Lost Time and Making up for It

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Motoko absently passed through the halls of the Shinmei Ryuu dojo with a puzzled frown. The conversation between Tsuruko and her had thrown her off a little, but nothing that really rattled her. Aneue seemed terribly vague, something about honor, her responsibility to the school, and a duel, only giving her the barest of ideas as to how Keitaro and herself ended together. The best she could piece together was that she and Keitaro were involved in a sort of arranged marriage. In any case, Tsuruko didn't seem very eager to disclose the information of their wedding, and had cut the conversation short as she noticed it was nearing supper time.

'Well, I suppose it is entirely possible for my sister to arrange our meeting. I would not put it past her seeing our family condition.' Motoko though, the old-fashioned views of her clan placing that version in the realm of probability.

Trying to clear her mind from that confusing line of thought, Motoko found herself observing her surroundings. Again, she could only marvel at the beautiful view her mountain home provided her. With a backdrop of the glorious evening sun, the rugged yet peaceful greenery of Mt. Aoyama still entranced her as it did the first day of her stay.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Motoko heard a voice coming behind her.

Motoko turned and smiled softly at Keitaro.

"Yes, Anata, it certainly is." Motoko replied, walking towards her husband.

Keitaro smiled and put his arm around Motoko's shoulders. He kissed her lightly on the cheek and took in a deep breath of her sweet, fragrant scent.

"How was practice?" He asked as Motoko leaned in closer to his chest.

"Tiring... but satisfying..." Motoko said as she and Keitaro walked down the halls together.

"Well I hope you worked up an appetite. Auntie Nodoka said she'd prepared a surprise for dinner." Keitaro said, leading her through the halls. Since he didn't have anything to do while his wife was away practicing her sword art, he had taken to exploring the estate.

"How nice." Motoko began, before she noticed something different in the path that Tsuruko had shown them towards the house. "Keitaro, are we not to meet with Okaasan? Why are we taking this way?" She said curiously.

"Dunno. Nodoka just said to meet her in the grand hall." Keitaro shrugged, secretly perplexed himself. He had wondered why his mother-in-law was so secretive and giddy, but what was the worst that could happen?

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

A celebratory feast was the worst that could happen.

Since Nodoka didn't get to do anything she wanted, like engagement parties, bridal showers, wedding receptions and the like, she decided she would make up for it with this rather impromptu and boisterous dinner.

A large part of the Aoyama clan had been invited, and had Keitaro remembered who these people were, he would find himself overwhelmed at the amount of powerful, high-profile people that were in the group. From politicians and business leaders, to cultural icons and even royalty, the people in this gathering held a great influence in the country. He probably would have been reduced to a stuttering idiot if he were faced with any of these people in the past.

Once again, however, due to the amnesia, Keitaro saw nothing more than a collection of happy, albeit well dressed, relatives, wishing him and Motoko's marriage well. He and Motoko thanked them gratefully as they sat the middle of the long table beside Nodoka, Tsuruko and her husband.

Motoko was beside herself with anxiety, though. She inwardly berated her mother as to why she didn't tell her about the party in the first place, and a million things were running through her mind at the time. How did she look? Did the caterers get all the food necessary and did they cook it correctly? Even if she took a shower and wore more presentable clothes, did she dress right for the party? If she didn't know any better, she would have been wearing her fingernails to the bone by now.

Keitaro sensed his wife's uneasiness, however, and steered her away from the crowd of revelers and into the porch, excusing himself and Motoko by saying they needed a bit of fresh air.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Are you feeling alright, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro whispered, his arm around Motoko's waist as they leaned on the porch railing. "H-hai, Keitaro... I just wasn't expecting this so suddenly, you know?" She whispered in reply, a small smile tugging at the end of her lips as she leaned her head on Keitaro's shoulder.

Keitaro nodded and held her closer, enjoying the brief moment of silence before they would be thrust into the throng of boisterous relatives once more. "Hmm... oh, look, Motoko..." Keitaro said, whispered for his wife to open her eyes.

Motoko sighed in contentment and cracked her eyes open slightly, and took in the wonderful sight before them.

"Hotaru..." Motoko said under her breath, as hundreds of bright green stars began to shimmer in the summer night.

"Wow... I didn't know fireflies lived this high up the mountain..." Keitaro mused, enjoying the little insects as they glittered in the trees.

"They are the souls of the dead that the Shinmei Ryuu helped put to rest. They come here every summer to thank the school as they pass on to heaven..." Motoko said absentmindedly, but once she realized what she was saying, her eyes widened in surprise.

Keitaro caught on too as he grasped what Motoko just told him.

"Motoko, how did you?..." he began, not really knowing what else to say.

"It.. it just came to me... father was holding me, right in this spot... I was four and...oh, Keitaro..." Motoko smiled, tears of joy beginning to form on her eyes.

The young Urashima embraced his wife as they shared this new revelation. At least, for sure, they knew, that Motoko truly was on her way to recovery. Their small celebration was short lived, however as the shoji slid open revealing a smiling Kenjiro and Tsuruko.

"Motoko-han! Keitaro! C'mon, we're serving up the cake, and you guys are gonna miss it!" Tsuruko said, her pink tinged cheeks revealing that she had recently imbibed.

"Yeah, man! We have a lot of catching up to do. I mean, you're my brother-in-law, right? The rest of the guys wanna know about you as much as I do!" Kenjiro added, his arm wrapped around Tsuruko's shoulders.

"Heh, alright. We'll be right in." Keitaro said, and the couple nodded as they went back inside the gathering hall, the sound of music and laughter echoing inside.

"So, are you ready, Motoko-chan?" Keitaro looked to his wife, lacing his fingers around hers.

"When I am beside you, Keitaro, I can face anything." Motoko smiled, and the newlyweds slowly opened the door and entered the gathering held in their honor.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Author's Notes:

Eek... I've been bad, haven't I? Sorry for the long update, guys, but real life stepped in for a sec. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say a certain MMORPG decided night elves were more important than updates.

In any case, I'll try to update more frequently. The next chapter's gonna be the party or more of the Hina girls, I haven't decided which yet, but it shouldn't matter which comes first. Thank you to all my reviewers for breaking the 200 mark! I couldn't have done it without you guys.


	12. CATCH ON FIRE, SHOOT SHOOT!

-1

Author's Note: Yeah, this is the long awaited twelfth chapter. Sorry for the wait, but things happen. Anyways, the part of this story was meant to be a separate interlude altogether, but it came out waaaay too short to merit a whole update, so I just stuck the two together. It hopefully gives a little more insight in Hinta Sou right now because I'm actually going back to them in about two chapters or so. In any case, enjoy chapter 12.

-Lexmarker

A Clean Slate

Chapter 12

"CATCH ON FIRE, SHOOT SHOOT!!!"

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The atmosphere after Naru's return to Hinata Sou was a strange one, to say the least. At first, disbelief and anger where the foremost emotions in most of the girl's hearts, though more hurt in Shinobu's case than the rest of the girls. Kitsune swore revenge for her _actual labor_ in the boarding house, and Su and Sarah began to immediately hatch plans for the recovery of the errant ronin and his wife. All Mutsumi was able to do was sigh heavily and float about the house in a dreamlike fashion, dazed as she wondered what had happened to her friends, as well as how this would affect Naru. As for Naru herself, there was now a cold feeling in her heart, one that held so much pain that she could barely stand for it. All that kept her from breaking down completely was her anger at Keitaro for such a foolish action that led to her own heart's ache.

Oh course, daily life didn't stop due to the recent turn of events. Haruka had taken up the financial maintenance of the boarding house while the other tenants continued with their studies and daily lives. The only real difference now in the house was that instead of wanton destruction and random perversions, a low buzz of activity seemed to permeate from the old wooden building. Shinobu's cooking, though still of the same superb caliber as the past, seemed almost lackluster and disaffected. Su and Sarah were locked up in the deep recesses of their secret tunnels, no doubt perfecting the latest form of their Kietaro tracker, while Kitsune silently griped, at least tricking a those two college students, whatsisname and somethingface, into doing the chores for free.

But worst of all was Naru. Most of the time she would lie in bed, eyes red and weary, the only sounds coming from her room sighs and rustling of pages…

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Meanwhile, in Casa Aoyama…

"And then… and then… she totally went out and threw the thing at the dude! BWAHAHAHAA!!!" Kenjiro burst out in laughter, knocking back another shot of patented Aoyama Mountain Sake as he threw his arm around Keitaro's neck, the rest of the young bucks of the Aoyama clan howling alongside Kenjiro's far from appropriate joke.

Keitaro laughed weakly along with the rest of the group, who for some reason had migrated from the main hallway to the balcony with about twelve jugs of sake smuggled in between them. Considering his situation, Keitaro was admirably keeping up with the rest of the group, taking all their drinking games in stride, though feeling more sick than boisterous as his companions seemed to be affected.

"Man, your wife is a pill, Ken. Never would have figured her to blow her top off of a bowl of ramen." One of the younger men stated, numerous sake stains covering the front of his sharp business attire.

"Pfft, all them Aoyama women're like that. All pissh and vinegar…" commented another, more casually attired individual, though the amount of jewelry he had on him may have supported a small Caribbean nation.

"Well, I wouldn't say that. At least not for the ones that aren't crazy!" Keitaro mustered up, feeling loosened by the alcohol and the festive nature.

"Hey, watch it, bub. That's my wife you're talking about!"

"Yo…. That's my brother Keitaro you're talking about, man…."

"Geez….. That's coushin Akira, dude. He makesh thish sake too shtrong.!"

"Hey, that's my cousin Akira you're talking about, and he makesh the besht damn sake in the country!" Keitaro belched, catching on to the Aoyama blame game after the second in-law began, and he was greeted by laughs all around and a salute of sake cups glinting in the moonlight.

"#$ YEAH!!! To brother Keitaro!" Kenjiro bellowed, and the rest of the motley crew cried in response.

"KEI-TA-ROOOO!!!!" They howled, Keitaro unknowingly joining the ranks of the corporate select, military executive, and the noble bloodline of the Emperor of Japan himself.

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And with no men around, women bear their claws…

"So…. How is he?" Tsuruko whispered huskily, leaning heavily on her sister as she delicately balanced the wine flute in her hand by two fingers.

"You… have no… idea….." Motoko giggled, hiccupping as the girls around her laughed along, glasses topped off and no end in sight…

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"God… that was a party, huh?" Keitaro slurred as he walked the familiar verandah with his wife leaning heavily on his shoulder.

"Yeah…." Motoko giggled, her steps awkward and stumbling, the couple reeking of alcohol and fully inebriated to do, well, what's expected of drunk couples that time of night.

"Keitaroooo…." Motoko whispered in a low yet giddy tone, tilting her head to the side to shoe off her pink cheeks and sparkling teeth.

"Yeah, love?" Keitaro replied, not really paying attention to anything other than the next two steps in front of him.

"We're gunna have craaaazzyyy sheksss tonight, huh?" Motoko laughed, trying to straiten up but failing miserably as the two fell from the wooden walkway and stumbled unto the soft midnight grass.

This, of course, caught Keitaro's attention in full.

"Probably. You feel like getting up and going to our room?" Keitaro mumbled, trying to lean on his elbows, before feeling the familiar weight of his spouse on his chest, as two soft, pointed mounds of flesh pressed onto his chest.

"Nooo……"

"You even know where we are?" Keitaro gasped, the familiar hands snaking across his body…

"Giggle" Nooooo…."

"You care about what's gonna happen tomorrow?" Keitaro whispered, the cool of the night lost to his passions and drunkenness.

Motoko's smiling face rose to his eye level, her visage beautifully framed by the moon behind her and the fireflies in the air. The girl only sighed once with a smile before shaking her head once, her lips slowly parting as she lowered herself to Keitaro's own.

"Good. Neither do I…" Keitaro said, sinking into the sensation.

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Post Note:

Mmmm… lime-y. The next two chapters are the morning after, the consequences, then back to a real storyline. Hinata girls are gearing up to find Keitaro and Motoko, I'm setting up the couple for something else, and I'm hoping that I'll be getting into the colleges I applied to. Anyways, another reason for me not updating is cuz I have my own webcomic up. You can check out my homepage on my author's profile or visit to check it out, shameless plug that this is, and help me get some actual credibility for putting my lame gags on the internet in anything other than fan fiction form. Oh, and check out my Ouran Host fic for more cheap laughs. Later, hope you guys don't kill me for the long ass update gaps. 

-Lexmarker


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